Emily Jayne

Underwater Love

2012-01-27T08:00:00.001Z

One of the major inspirations that designers have called upon for their Spring/Summer 2012 collections is that of the underwater and aquatic. Look out for hues of blue and sea green, draping, marbled patterns and dresses fit for a mermaid princess. As we get into high Summer things will get even more literal, with digital underwater prints.

l-r, Marchesa, Roland Mouret, One Vintage

Remember, where the designers go, the high street will follow, so look out in your favourite shops for underwater inspiration in the coming months.

Me and Lady Dragons - Will they, won't they?

2012-01-26T08:00:00.002Z

I've spoken about my somewhat complicated relationship with Lady Dragons before. If you're not aware of them, they are a quite fabulously quirky shoe that has sprung from a relationship between shoe designer Melissa, and one of my favourite designers of all time, Vivienne Westwood. The 'traditional' Lady Dragon base of a medium-height heeled slingback with a peep toe is adorned from collection to collection with an array of cool items, from shiny love hearts, to skulls wearing bows, to wings. They look amazing, they smell of bubblegum (seriously!) and when perusing the online shoe extravaganza that is Sarenza, they were easily and unquestionably my favourite shoe on the site.

So, given my extensive shoe collection, and my extreme love for these shoes, why don't I own any?

Well, I can liken my relationship with these shoes to that 'will they, won't they' couple in your favourite romcom. Everytime I've come close to purchasing a pair, something seems to have kept us apart. When I first spotted them, what seems like many years ago now, I loved them at first site, but my prejudice against plastic shoes put me off. "Hmm", I thought, "Yes, they're beautiful, and they're Westwood, but I don't do plastic shoes - they'll look cheap and make my feet sweat!". Then, after thinking I'd made the decision, I started spotting them all over the place, teasing me - on the feet of other women at the Pure show in London, popping up in blog posts, winking at me in shop windows.

So I had a conversation with the owner of a pair about the merits of the Lady Dragon. Were they actually comfortable? Did they rub or lead to clammy toes? My worries were met with a resounding "No!" and I resolved that maybe, we were indeed meant to be.

Then, again, doubt set in. Yes, they were everywhere. EVERYWHERE. Suddenly every blogger seemed to have at least one pair, they were cropping up on brides in every other wedding blog. Were they reaching saturation point? Was I going to invest a reasonably hefty amount of money in shoes that I'd soon go off, as the reason I'd loved them so much in the first place was that they were so unusual?

More time passed, and still I yearned for them, like that man that you've decided is no good for you but can't stop thinking about. I decided that I'd been stupid - yes, they're a popular shoe, but since when have I been the person who decides that once something's popular it's no longer cool? Urgh! I don't want to be that person! We're talking about shoes I've loved for years here, if I still haven't gone off them, surely that love will be enduring?

Also, isn't this a bit of an overly complicated relationship to have with a pair of shoes? Err, Yes. Mad woman. It's getting silly now. Even my mother now screams at me every time I mention them "WHY DON'T YOU JUST BUY THEM?!" and sends me links to them when they're on sale.

So will these crazy kids ever get it together?

I'm thinking the answer to that question is also a resounding yes, and the build up should make it all the sweeter!

Disclosure: This blog post is an entry for the Sarenza Blog Ambassador programme.

The Monster in the Mirror

2012-01-25T17:23:00.000Z

When women come to see me for a style, colour or makeup appointment they come for many reasons; it may be that they are changing job and need to know what to wear, it may be that their body has changed after losing or gaining weight or having a baby, or it may simply be that they fancy treating themselves to a stylish pampering session. However, there is one trait that seems to run common amongst many of them: a mortal dread of looking in the mirror.

What are you afraid of seeing?

In fact, it's not been unknown for women to actually break down when they realise that in a style session they are going to spend reasonable amount of time looking at their body in a mirror. I have even had one occasion of an anxiety attack when the client found out she was going to spend the whole makeup lesson sat in front of one. It absolutely breaks my heart.

But do you know another common thread running through all of these women? After the session, after they've spent an hour or so really looking at themselves, they see that there's nothing to be afraid of. There is no monster in the mirror, just them.

Most women spend so much of their lives rushing round that we very rarely have time to actually stop and look at ourselves in the mirror. Yes, we have a quick look whilst we throw makeup at our faces in the morning, a cursory glance to make sure we don't have our skirt tucked in our knickers as we walk out of the ladies, and I think that maybe it's the not looking that helps us build up this mirror monster in our heads. After a while we become convinced that all we're going to see is acne, a wonky nose, someone who's grossly overweight or horribly thin, and it builds and builds until we're terrified to look.

Well, I'm telling you now, there is no mirror monster. Please take just 5 minutes to really look at yourself in the mirror today. When it's just you in the mirror, why not give yourself a smile?

Fashion Dilemma - Pajama Trousers

2012-01-24T08:00:00.002Z

I like loungewear. One of my favourite things about my job is that a lot of it can be done from home, whilst wearing my ever increasing wardrobe of pajamas, onesies, leggings and other comfortable clothing. I also take quite great pride in my loungewear, just like my ordinary clothing, it has to be in flattering colours and styles for me. Even if I am staying at home and the only people who are going to see me are my dogs (yes, my dogs are people as far as I'm concerned) then I still want to feel like I look good.

However, thus far I have drawn the line at venturing out of the house in said loungewear. OK, maybe a quick run up the road to the shop for emergency chocolate, but that's it, I swear. Fashion has other ideas. Fashion has thrown us another curve ball folks, pajama trousers, as daywear.

PJs in the Day by emilyjayneimage featuring snakeskin pants

We perhaps should have seen it coming with the influx of printed palazzo pants last Summer, pajamas were only ever a step away.

So, once more I'm in a fashion dilemma. The idea of wearing something as comfortable as this is more than a little appealing, I also love the luxe fabrics and funky prints, and after all, pajamas were originally intended as daywear and worn as such in Asia for generations.

However, I can't help but think it would feel a little bit wrong, and is it a slippery slope? In a few years will we have black tie fleecy onesies?

Let me know your thoughts people - pajama trousers, yay or nay?

Guest post on 60s Bridal Style on the Boho Weddings Blog

2012-01-23T08:00:00.000Z

I'm very pleased to tell you that after the success of the 70s Bridal Style piece I wrote for the Boho Wedding Blog back in November, Kelly asked me to continue to guest post a whole series on retro bridal style to suit your body shape.

Here's the latest post, whether you're a Jackie or a Marilyn, there's a 60s style for you!

The Stylish Sew and Sew Challenge 2012

2012-01-20T08:00:00.003Z

I love clothes (surprise!), and even more than that I love expressing my individual sense of style, it's something that I encourage all of my clients to do. I also love being creative, and used to love sewing and dressmaking.

Somewhere along the line I just stopped sewing, I still do the odd crafty project here and there, but it kind of upsets me that I think I'd now really have to think about how to lay a pattern out, and I still can't wear one of my favourite skirts because I can't really remember how to put the replacement zip I've bought into it.

So, this year I'm going to undertake a challenge that will address all of this. Enabling me to wear things that are individual and are tailored to my style, whilst reviving my old skills.

In 2012 I shall make something every month that I can wear.

Originally I was thinking about making a dress a month, but I feel that may be a little ambitious. Also, having managed to wear a different dress every day in Dressember without exhausting my collection I realised that I probably didn't need 12 new dresses! So expect to see new frocks, skirts and accessories, lovingly hand made by me.

I'm really excited about this challenge and can't wait to get started!

As January overlaps with the end of the Shoeper Shoe Challenge, and we're already half way through, my plan for my January Stylish Sew and Sew project is to complete an unfinished dress that I started a couple of years ago. I sewed it up very quickly on a Sunday, and when I realised that it needed some serious altering to fit, and lining, it got folded up and put in a back corner of my Mom's sewing room, never to see the light of day again!

Stylish Sew and Sew #1 - hopefully by the end of the month this will look a bit more like a pretty dress, less like a shapeless sack!

I'll be blogging all of the finished Stylish Sew and Sew projects and how I'm wearing them here, but if you're interested in the more practical aspects of how they are made I'll be blogging all about that over at the Loopy Ladies Blog.

Here's to some fabulously me new outfits for the new year!

Steal Wallis Simpson's Style

2012-01-19T08:00:00.002Z

With the release of Madonna's film, W.E., the style of Wallis Simpson has been bought back into the spotlight. What ever you think of the woman (or the film, for that matter!), it has to be said that the lady knew how to dress. If you've taken a shine to her vintage, lady-like chic, here's how to get the look:

Skirt (£65) & Cape Jacket (£75) - Tara Starlet, Necklace (£345) - Eastern Mystic, Shoes (£230) - Upper Street

Discontinued Makeup Shades

2012-01-18T08:00:00.001Z

Ah, sun rise, sun set, one door opens, another shuts, and just as I was able to announce some new Colour Me Beautiful make up shades, some others have to be discontinued to make way for them.

You are now unable to order:

Rose Blush Powder
Topaz Cream Lipstick
Nude Sheer Lipstick

I'll be off to the CMB conference in February, so will be able to let you know if any new shades are announced there!

Dressember Final Roundup

2012-01-17T08:00:00.000Z

So, as promised, seemingly so long ago, here is my final Dressember Roundup. I know it's a little late coming, but I was away for the festive season without internet (gasp) and so not only could I not post at the time, but have since had some MAJOR catching up to do!

I loved taking part in Dressember, and yes, I did manage to wear a dress every single day! It really isn't that hard. Although most people seem to think you've made quite an effort when you're wearing a dress, at the end of the day it's one item of clothing that you have to put on to make a whole outfit, so it's actually pretty easy. It's no secret that I'm a massive fan of the dress as it's so flattering for someone with a curvy shape like myself, but there really is a dress out there for everyone. Even if you can't wear a dress every day, why not set yourself the challenge of at least wearing one a week, and see if it makes a difference to how you feel about your wardrobe!

You can see the other dresses I wore in December here, and yes, I really did wear a different one every day, and manage to save a few more shoes for the Shoeper Shoe Challenge too!

Look out for my next challenge, which will be announced later this week.

Cardigan - Monsoon, dress - Dorothy Perkins, Leggings - Miss Selfridge

Cardigan - Avoca, Dress - Whistles, Top (under dress ) - Dorothy Perkins

Christmas Eve! Cardgan - Out of Xile, Dress - Coast, bag - Topshop

Merry Christmas! Headband - Dorothy Perkins, Dress - River Island, Belt - River Island, Tights - Dorothy Perkins, Shoes - Jade

Cardigan - Topshop, Belt - Dorothy Perkins, Dress - Laura Ashley, Boots - Kurt Geiger

Top - Laura Ashley, Dress - French Connection, Boots - Jones Bootmaker. I also had a lovely red robot necklace on with this outfit but it broke!

Very lazy slightly worse for wear day! Jersey maxi dress - Warehouse, boots - Ugg

Cardigan - Hobbs, Dress - Adini, Shoes - Topshop. Photobombed by Diesel the Cockapoo!

Full of cold and sleepy from the drive to Wales! Cardigan - Coast, Top - Dorothy Perkins, Dress - Oasis, Leggings - Marks and Spencer

Happy New Year! Cardigan - Monsoon, Dress - Karen Millen, Shoes - River Island (SAVED!)

Red Carpet Round Up - Golden Globes 2012

2012-01-16T10:46:00.000Z

Another red carpet round up, so soon! We must be in awards season now.

Last night was the Golden Globes, and I was glad to see a little bit more colour on the red carpet than at the People's Choice Awards. Yet again, my best dressed list is a little different to some of the others out there, which brings home that maybe I'm looking at things a little differently, especially where colour is concerned. A good example of this is Kate Winslet, yes her monochrome Jenny Packham dress last night was beautiful, but such harsh, contrasting colours really do nothing for her. All you see is the dress, rather than Kate herself. As a Soft, she is far better in softer, more muted colours that let her shine through! However, the cut of the dress was gorgeous, so she doesn't make it onto my 'didn't work' list!

Agree? Disagree? I'd love to hear about it in the comments!

Working It

Dianna Agron in Giles Deacon. The Glee star pulls off this directional, laser cut dress with aplomb. I always love red on a blonde, but wearing a dress this exciting it would be all too easy to disappear behind it. However Dianna is styled to perfection with simple hair, red lips and minimal jewellery.

Sofia Vergara in Vera Wang. Just gorgeous! This frock is sculpted around Sofia's lovely curves, and the deepest midnight blue is fantastic with her deep colouring.

Tilda Swinton in Haider Ackermann. Wow. You can always count on Tilda to wear something different, and this jacket and mermaid skirt combo is no exception. The icy blue is wonderful with her cool blonde colouring, and her lean, straight lined figure carries off the sculptural jacket perfectly.

Didn't Work

Piper Perabo in Theyksens' Theory. Oh dear, unfortunately the proportions of this massive gown on such a petite lady are all wrong, making it look like poor Piper is drowning in this dress.

Frida Pinto in Prada. Something about this dress is just off on beautiful Frida. I suspect that it's a combination of the waist being in the wrong place (looks a little high to me) combined with it being too stiff over her curves - the skirt seems to be sticking out at strange angles.

Julianna Marguilies and Amy Pohler in Naeem Khan. You get a 241 here, both ladies are wearing fabulous colours, but unfortunately the straight cut of the dress is all wrong for them, with the high neckline giving them a matronly look, and the fabric fitting their curves in all the wrong places.

New Colour Me Beautiful Makeup Shades

2012-01-13T08:00:00.000Z

What's better than makeup? NEW makeup, that's what!

That's why I'm pleased to share with you that Colour Me Beautiful have released new shades, and they're all available for you to buy at my online shop. I'll be experimenting with these a bit and showing you how you can use them very soon.

Firstly we have two new eyeshadow shades, Midnight, which is a gorgeous deep blue, great for Deeps, Clears and Cools (and other colourings who like to experiment a bit!) and Silver Touch, a strongly pigmented silver-grey - fabulous for all the Cools out there who have been jealous of the gold metallics that we warms have had for a few years now! As always these shadows fit into the magnetic colour boxes, so you can make up the best makeup pallet for you.

There is also a new blush shade - Shiraz, which as you might expect from the name is a deep plum-rose colour, and a new lip liner - Crimson, a bright red that is a great replacement for all those who miss the Red lip pencil that was recently discontinued.

Remember, if you struggle to know which shades of makeup suit you best or how to apply it, you can book a Colours Analysis or Makeup Lesson, or attend one of my workshops!

Red Carpet Round Up - People's Choice Awards 2012

2012-01-12T13:48:00.000Z

Happy New Year everyone! I'm back, ready and raring to go for 2012.

Thought I'd start off the year gently, with a look at the first major red carpet event of the season, the People's Choice Awards. Now to be honest, I was pretty much aghast at the selection of frocks on show, and there weren't any that I particularly loved. However, I've picked 3 that I think really worked for the ladies wearing them. Just as difficult was picking the 3 that I didn't think worked - so much choice!! I've actually picked a couple that seem to have made it onto a lot of people's best dressed list. Just shows you how subjective fashion really is. If you agree, disagree, or think I missed the outfit of the night, I'd love to hear about it in the comments.

Working It...

Busy Philips in Carven. Busy keeps the shape simple and figure hugging, and lets the colour do all the talking. Simply fabulous.

Vanessa Hudgens in Jenny Packham. Maybe this is a little OTT for the People's choice awards, but the gothic spiderweb style beading is just stunning, and the glitzy black suits the High School Musical star's Deep colouring to a T.

Demi Lovato in Marchesa. Hello, can we say CURVES!? Ok, again perhaps this frock is a little OTT for the People's Choice awards, but all is forgiven when you look like such a knock out! The completely 'it' colour for this season - tangerine in a sorbet hue looks fab with Demi's newly red hair, and the draping of the dress combined with some clever corsetry show off her curves and defined waist.

Not Working...

Jennifer Laurence in Viktor & Rolf. The underwater trend is going to be big for this season, but I think this fish net and waves combo takes it a little to far into costume territory, and Jennifer just doesn't have the quirky style personality to pull it off.

Ashley Green in DKNY. You have to be oh so careful when you combine leather and lace, and this look is just a little off for the usually fabulously dressed Twilight star. I think it's to do with the bottom half of the dress more than anything, the dropped waist on that flippy skirt is doing nothing for her, I can't help thinking it would have looked better as a pencil shape.

Emma Stone in Gucci. Everyone else seems to LOVE this, and I really don't get it. The colours are all wrong for her, and the outfit itself makes her look like a bell boy. I love Emma and think she's super cute, but I really just can't get on board with this outfit.

Merry Christmas from Emily Jayne!

2011-12-23T08:00:00.001Z

I shall now be on holiday until the 6th January, so will be back with a mega Dressember round up, and a new challenge for the new year!

With all the new workshops I'm running, the brand new look building I'll be working from, and the rest of the plans I have for 2012 I'm so excited for the new year, but I have to look back and say that I'm pretty thrilled with 2011. Having only really started blogging this year I'm so pleased with how things have progressed. This time last year I never thought I'd be invited to such wonderful events or working with such wonderful brands to bring you reviews and coverage. It wouldn't happen without the fabulous readership so wanted to thank you all for reading and wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I'll leave you with a few of my favourite posts from 2011, hope to see you all in 2012.

Dressember Roundup - Week 3

2011-12-22T09:24:00.000Z

Another week of dress wearing, can't believe we're almost through Dressember!Ended up being a bit ill this week, so please excuse my even pastier than usual face! Have still managed to wear a dress every day, but completely forgot about the 'spots and stripes' theme on Saturday. Still, hopefully I made up for it by wearing a completely unsuitable dress today (the theme being wedding dress wednesday, but for us girls who aren't married or haven't got a bridesmaids dress, it's just a totally unsuitable for day wear dress! I did think about finding out my mom's wedding dress from the loft, but then I remembered that she was a size 8 when she got married, and I'd probably struggle to get the dress over one ankle.)

Worn for a Christmas dinner with the fabulous WiRE ladies. Unfortunately the 'anti red-eye' seems to have made me look a bit cross eyed! Dress - Vivienne Westwood, jumper - Viz a Viz, shoes - Michael Kors

Worn for visiting my Great Aunt & Uncle to exchange Christmas pressies. Cardigan - Topshop, dress - Cath Kidston, boots - Schuh

Worn for dinner and Christmas drinks with friends, the boyf kept making me laugh so please excuse the goofy expression! Dress - Adini, vest top (just seen under dress) - Topshop

Think you can see I'm starting to feel under the weather today! Worn for a lazy Sunday with the boyf. Jumper - M&S, belt - Dorothy Perkins, maxi dress - Mango, boots - Schuh

Hiding my face with the flash as starting to look and feel really grotty! Worn for general Christmas errands - finished all my wrapping! Cardigan - M&S, dress - River Island, Leggings - Topshop, shoes - Carvela (SAVED!)

Another one where I was feeling and looking poorly, so have hidden my face behind a mag! Cardigan - River Island, dress - Mango, tights - Next

A delightful 80s confection for Wedding Dress Wednesday. Dress - Charity shop

Winter fashion & beauty tips from 1911

2011-12-22T08:00:00.002Z

The lovely Donnah Morgan (with whom I'm running a workshop in January) gave me the most fabulous early Christmas present - the very first issue of Woman's Weekly from November 1911. I spent a morning pouring over the articles, and the adverts which are almost as entertaining! (It does indeed seem that everything was a miracle cure back then).

One of the things that I found really interesting was that although the fashions may have changed, and women's lives may be a little different, the issues they faced are in very many ways the same that we would see in women's magazines today. There is a page-long article on how to rid oneself of 'over-fat' (the suggestion is a new diet pill) and an advert for 'bust enlargement', as well as one of my favourites - how to update last winter's clothes for the new season. See, even in 1911 women were looking to get the latest trends on a budget!

So, as 2011 draws to a close, I thought I'd share a few pictures with you, and some of the top fashion & beauty tips from 1911. Thanks again to Donnah for the amazing gift!

The Winter Complexion
One of the reasons why some complexions become dull and sallow in the winter is that their owners stay too much indoors, and so miss the outdoor exercise which is the best skin tonic in the world. Many women are absurdly averse to rain and wind, and during the dark months get into the habit of spending the greater part of their leisure time lounging in front of a big fire. This practice has a debilitating effect upon the whole system. All the organs, and the liver in particular begin to function imperfectly, with the result that the blood becomes impure and the complexion muddy-looking. A quick short walk in the rain, with a cam and no umbrella, serves wonderfully to freshen up the complexion.

Doing Up Last Winter's Costumes
I am taking it for granted that you have a coat and skirt in fairly good condition put away, and now want to freshen it up for everyday wear this winter. Probably it has quite a narrow skirt that has become rather shaped to the figure, and a little rubbed at the back, and the coat, while there is nothing definitely wrong with it, doesn't look quite new. In the first place, brush the cloth thoroughly, sponge carefully, press well under a piece of muslin, and remove any obstinate spots with benzine. Procure some black velveteen, single width (in a good enough quality it will cost you 1s, 11d the yard); Insert narrow inverted pleats of this either at the side seams or at each side of the back panel (according to the cut of the skirt); this will give the slight extra width that is fashionable.

Keep Wrinkles at Bay
Most people was their faces in such a way that lines and wrinkles are deepened instead of smoothed out. Get into the habit of moving the hands upwards and outwards, instead of in the usual up and down way. This practice will keep the heaviest age lines at bay.

New Year's Eve Party Dress Tricks

2011-12-20T08:00:00.001Z

Can you believe we're in Christmas week already?! The biggest party night of the year fast approaches - New Year's Eve. Its just typical that mere days after stuffing ourselves full of mince pies, turkey and pudding (not to mention all the booze!) we attempt to squeeze ourselves into a party dress and feel our most fabulous. Here are my top tips for rocking your party frock this December 31st.

If you're looking to cover up post-Chrimbo lumps and bumps, look for rouching and draping details on dresses, especially over the tummy area. These will disguise a multitude of sins!
Get the length right - if you're petite, a shorter dress can be easier to carry off. If you're determined to go for a maxi, make sure it's not too voluminous so you don't get lost!
Look at the waistline of your dress - if you're straight up and down or are rounded then look at empire lines which will disguise your lack of waist, or straighter, more tailored styles. If you have a defined waist, show it off with a nipped in or belted style to instantly lose visual pounds!
If you're not happy with your arms after a winter of them being covered up, you don't have to resort to a shrug. There are loads of party frocks out there this season with sleeves.
Sparkle is fantastic, but if you are curvy be careful with the all-over sequin styles that are about this winter. They can reflect light off, and therefore draw attention to the areas you'd like to hide. Instead look for sequin panels, and sparkly details to show off your festive spirit.
Remember, it doesn't have to be an LBD! Wear one of your best colours to feel like the belle of the ball.
Look at the scale of the dress details compared to your own scale - larger ladies will be able to carry off larger details such as buttons, bows and pattern, whereas petites will look better with neater styles.

Winter Warmer Tips - Hats

2011-12-19T08:00:00.001Z

Ah, Winter, a time of cosying up by fires, drinking mulled wine (well, it's important not to get a chill!) and, of course, Christmas! However, this season can bring with it its own fashion issues, so here are my top Winter Warmer tips - today, Hats!

There's a style of hat out there for everyone, so match your hat to your personality! Romantics will love sparkles and pretty details, naturals can go for cable knits, and creatives can go for quirky animal hats!
As always, remember scale! Petites can be overwhelmed by the larger 70s style hats that are around this season
If you really hate hats, but want to stay warm, then ear muffs are back with a vengence! Also, perhaps try an apres-ski style knitted head band pulled over your ears
Turbans have returned in the style stakes this season. These tend to look good with wild, bohemian style hair spilling out from under them to keep the look from looking too little old lady!
Finally, remember that a hat is right next to your face, so make sure that it's in one of your best colours!

Selfridges Blogger Evening Part 2 - The Pampering

2011-12-16T08:00:00.000Z

After driving us well and truly crazy by showing us an array of lust-worthy accessories, Selfridges and the Bullring decided to give us a serious pampering. I often joke that you can tell that you're at a fashion event because there's loads of booze, and very little food! This was definitely not the case. We were treated to an Italian feast at pizza restaurant Rossopomodoro which can be found on the bottom floor of Selfridges. I was yet to try this relatively new eatery, so was pretty excited (I get pretty excited about food generally). Pizza after pizza was bought out, and they were exactly as I remember eating them in Italy - fresh thin crust, real tomato base, cured meats, roasted vegetables, gorgeous stringy mozzerella. Oh my. This was all accompanied by bruschetta, olives, and other lovely nibbles. All the time our glasses were being topped up with fresh Prosecco (or iced water for the drivers!). There was so much most of us ended up taking home a doggy bag for the lucky people waiting for us at home. (Ok, I'll admit it, I did actually make the boyfriend share it with me.)

We were then all whisked up to the beauty floor where we all received a pampering treatment, which were drawn at random earlier in the evening. I drew an express makeover at YSL. I always love getting my makeup done, as I'm usually doing it for other people! It's great to see different products from the CMB ones that I usually use, and also to see the techniques used by the makeup artist.

My makeover started with an application of primer, then foundation, and then the famous Touche Eclat was applied to the shadowed areas of my face. A little powder was used on my T zone to set this, and then instead of a blush a radiance highlighting powder was used on my cheekbones. As I was already wearing full eye makeup which would have taken some time to get off and probably would have made a bit of a mess, my eyes were just defined with false lash effect mascara. The finishing touch was a mauve-pink lipstick to pick out the colours in my dress. This was a new lipstick from YSL and I have to say I was pretty impressed. It looked like a lipstick, applied like a gloss, then dried to a matt finish which still felt very creamy, not dry at all which can be an issue with some of the matt stains I've tried.

Overall the evening was a lovely treat and I'd like to thank Selfridges and the Bullring again for inviting me.

Selfridges Blogger Evening Part 1 - The Fashion

2011-12-15T08:00:00.000Z

Last week the lovely folks at Selfridges and the Bullring invited me along to a bloggers evening for a little pampering, and the opportunity to explore some of the new season's trends. It was an absolutely fantastic night, and I want to thank them sincerely for looking after us so well. I ended up taking lots of photos, so have decided to divide this across 2 posts, one today concentrating on the fabulous fashion treats that I saw, and one tomorrow on the more pampering aspects of the evening.

So, on with the fashion!

Yummy canapes and a glass of fizz at the Selfridges Champagne bar

I gathered with the other invited Birmingham bloggers (wonderful to see some familiar faces again, as well as meeting some new ones!) in the Moet Champagne bar to begin the evening with a glass of fizz, some delicious canapes and a bit of a catch up and chat. We were then given a presentation on Spring / Summer 2012 trends. This was a fast-paced whizz through what we can expect to see in store next season, and there were definitely some gorgeous trends. My favourites had to be 1950s style tailoring and sundresses in pastel colours mixed with pops of brights, and I also thought that the prevalence of black was interesting, and great for people with Deep colouring, who often find it difficult to shop in Summer.

(l-r) Laura - The Doll on Fashion, Kate - Bespoke Rose, Sarah - The Diva Diaries, Emma - Fashion Mommy, Sian - Tea an Toast, Me!

Style Presentation

We were then shown some of the white designer pieces that are exclusive to Selfridges. They were all gorgeous but I have to say that the one that really caught my eye was the McQueen Union Flag clutch with gold skull accents. Yum!

Exclusive white pieces for Selfridges

The McQueen clutch - LUST!

We were then taken on a guided tour of the store to take a look at some of the new accessories collections. Again, I was swooning all over the place. The main headlines? For colour think gorgeous pastels - coral pinks, periwinkles, lilacs, mixed with neutrals like camel, grey and navy. There were also lots of healthy pops of lipstick red - gorgeous, and especially great news for Lights, Softs, and Cools. I fell in love with a Mulberry Alexa in coral pink with rose gold chain and fastening and found myself stroking the gorgeous buttery leather! Style - wise, the big news was mini bags. Yup, we're definitely heading back to the 90s folks! I had a serious 'Clueless' moment as we were shown miniature versions of some of the best selling lines for Prada and Mulberry. They are super cute, but as a blogger and stylist I'm usually hefting round a fair amount of stuff, so not sure they're really for me. Lots of the other bloggers were emmitting audible squees at the very sight of them, however. We also went back to the 70s with Gucci, with handbag designs inspired by their work in 1977. I loved the ivory and teal boxy bags.

Gorgeous pastels from Mulberry (hands off the coral, it's mine! I wish.)

Mini Mulberry!

Camel coloured neutrals from Mulberry

A classic navy design from Prada

Prada mini bags

Neutrals at Prada

Lipstick red sits alongside pastel pink for Spring with Prada

Another mini bag from Prada (alongside a normal size red lovely, for scale!)

1970s inspired bag from Gucci

1970s inspired bag from Gucci in teal suede - yes please!

more lipstick red from Gucci

More camel and lipstick red from Dior

Dior also does mini

We then wound our way towards the shoes, and en route, I couldn't help but snap some Christmas sparkle from Vivienne Westwood (again, yes please!) and Burberry.

Rhinestone and beaded detail Mac, Burberry

Gold Mac, Burberry

Rhinestone and beaded detail shift dress, Burberry

Gold Jacquard dress, Vivienne Westwood

Bronze sequin dress, Vivienne Westwood

We were then shown a range of exlusive shoes to Selfridges from Jimmy Choo. My particular favourites were the Sex and the City shoe in teal and purple with feather details, and a towering pair of gold platform sandals, perfect for parting the night away (although the heels may prevent extensive dancing. Although apparently Choo's are super comfy. Given how beautiful they are, I'd be willing to test this theory!)

Jimmy Choo exclusives

Jimmy Choo at Selfridges, oh how I'd love to party in these this Christmas!

The Sex and the City Shoe. Swoon.

By this stage, we were all pretty much a mass of salivating, accessory - crazed fashion blogger crazies. Luckily we'd now be moving on to the pampering portion of the evening, which I'll be telling you all about tomorrow!

Dressember Week 2 Roundup

2011-12-14T17:46:00.000Z

Another week of dresses, can't believe I'm 2 weeks down already, although that does mean that we're closer to Christmas! Hurrah! (Yes, I still greet Christmas with a childish amount of excitement)

Worn to the Selfridges Spring/Summer Preview bloggers evening (which you'll be able to read all about later this week!) Cardigan - French Connection, top (under dress) - Laura Ashley, dress - NTS at frocked up, boots - Irregular Choice, belt - Forever 21, necklace - gifted

Worn to a Christmas lunch - feeling extra festive! Bow - hand made, cardigan - Topshop, belt - Vintage, dress - Warehouse, shoes - Topshop

Sparkling Saturday theme! I just happened to have a Black Tie and Sparkles 60th birthday party to attend, which was rather convenient theme-wise! I wore this original 1960s dress which belonged to my nan, I love it so much and don't get the opportunity to wear it that often! Earrings - Primark, cardigan - Monsoon, dress - Vintage, cocktail ring - Betsy Johnson, shoes - Jones Bootmaker

Worn for a trawl around a vintage bazaar in Ludlow, followed by a lovely lunch with my Mom and her friend. No vintage finds for me that day, but lots of inspiration for crafty projects! Top - Laura Ashley, dress - Country Casuals (via dress agency), necklaces - Vintage, boots - Dr Martens

Not the most glam outfit as I was helping to clear out at Loopy Ladies ready for painters and decorators - just goes to show that there's no excuse for not wearing a dress though! Cardigan - Monsoon, dress - Dorothy Perkins, boots - Ugg

A festive day wrapping presents and decorating the house, so thought I'd wear suitably festive attire! Dress - Warehouse.

The theme? Waving Wednesday! Off for dinner at the boyf's place. Dress - Topshop, knitted waistcoat - Vintage, boots - Kurt Geiger (SAVED!)

Remember you can join in with all the fun and see who else is dressing up for Dressember at the Facebook Page!

Interview on Loopy Ladies

2011-12-14T10:06:00.000Z

Hi Everyone! Don't worry, my Dressember week 2 round up will be here later today (got to snap a pic of Waving Wednesday first!) but for now I just wanted to let you know that there's a little interview with me over on the Loopy Ladies blog today, so if you want to find out a little more about my crafty side, head on over!

Interview on the Fashiny Blog

2011-12-13T08:00:00.000Z

The lovely folks over at Fashiny interviewed me for their blog this week. If you want to find out the top 5 things I'm craving, and a little more about my style then head on over!

Winter Warmer Tips - Scarves

2011-12-12T09:29:00.005Z

There are lots of snoods about this season - fabulous if you're not a fan of hats as you can pull them up to keep your ears warm!
How do you tie your scarf? You may be surprised at how many ways there are, try searching on youtube for ideas.
Remember your scale! If you are petite a very chunky long scarf may make you look like you're drowning, try finer knits instead - they'll still keep you warm if they're in wool, silk or cashmere.
If you have a short neck or double chin try to keep your scarf pulled away from your face, this will create the illusion of a longer neck!

WIWT - want to see What I Wore Today?

2011-12-09T08:00:00.001Z

Another day, another website addiction!

To be fair, I've actually been playing with WIWT since back in September when it launched, but it's so fabulous I just had to share it with you. The back story is that Poppy Dinsey, founder of the site, made a vow to photograph and blog her outfit every day, to encourage herself to wear more of her wardrobe. Her blog went from strength to stregnth, and this year re-launched as a social platform, where anyone can join and post pictures of their outfits.

There are quite a few reasons why I love this site, but the main ones have to be:
- There's so much inspiration! Seeing what people wear on an everyday basis makes you think about what you wear, and encourages you to be more creative. Someone may be wearing a belt in a way that you like, or you might see a combination of clothes that you've never thought of and love it. Also, you can 'tag' your outfit to show where the individual items come from, so if you spot a pair of shoes or frock that you love, odds are that you'll be able to track it down.
- It encourages you to make an effort. I'm a big believer in ALWAYS wearing something that makes you smile. None of this 'oh I'm only going to work' etc. In fact, the advice I usually give my clients is based on the quote I found by Erin from a Dress A Day back when I started blogging (which was before I even became an Image Consultant!) that you should only wear something if you would be happy to have your picture taken in it. If you're posting a picture of your outfit for the world to see, then you better be happy in it. It sounds like common sense, but feeling happy with how you look every day is a MAJOR confidence booster!
- It's realistic. For the mostpart, you'll find normal people dressed for doing everyday things. The vast majority of pictures aren't highly posed editorial style shots, they're taken on camera phones in people's mirrors. People post what they're really wearing, so if they're working from home in their PJs all day, that's the outfit you'll see (yes, there are pictures of me in various loungewear options to be seen, you don't have to be super dressed up every day, and it's just as important to have lounging about clothes that you love as it is to have going-out or work clothes that you love. The philosophy is that you're happy with what you're wearing ALL THE TIME!)
-It's easy. If you own an iPhone then there's a free app that lets you snap your pic and send it directly to the site, tags and all.
- It's social. You can 'star' outfits that you like and comment or ask questions. The feedback does give you a bit of a warm glow, but also I've actually started to talk to some of the people whose style I like on twitter, and this has lead to meeting some cool new people. I even discovered that one of them had a small crafting business and bought some fab cufflinks off her for my boyfriend's birthday present.

I think that's probably enough reasons for now, although they also run competitions regularly where you can win new clothes to add to your wardrobe. So, fancy giving it a try? If you do definitely comment with your user name so I can follow you! You can find WIWT here, and check out my profile here.

See My Crafty Adventures on the Loopy Ladies blog!

2011-12-08T10:33:00.001Z

The all new Loopy Ladies now has a rather lovely blog! I love a bit of crafting, and will be blogging all about what I get up to over there. You'll also be able to check out posts from the Loopy Lady herself, Karen, and keep up to date with news about preparations for the grand opening in January 2012!

Keep an eye on it, particularly if you're a dress fan, as I'll have a little project on their next year that I think you'll enjoy! (ooh, have I revealed too much?)

Dressember Week 1 Round Up (and some shoeper shoe saves!)

2011-12-07T18:18:00.000Z

As promised, here it is, the Dressember week 1 roundup! In case you missed my announcement last week, I'll be taking part in Dressember this year, and wearing a dress every single day this month!

Along with wearing lots of dresses, I've also managed to save a couple of pairs of shoes this week for the shoeper shoe challenge.

Worn for a cinema date with friend (Twilight, we had themed cocktails, it was awesome)
Hat - New Look, coat - H&M, scarf - French Connection, dress - Laura Ashley, boots - Kurt Geiger (SAVED!)

Worn for friend's birthday drinks at the German Christmas Market
Beret - Cath Kidston, scarf - Loopy Ladies, coat - Coast, dress - River Island, boots - Jones Bootmaker, bag - Topshop

Worn for 50s diner dinner date with boyfriend
Cardigan - Topshop, dress - Forever 21, boots (just seen) - Schuh

Worn to my first Christmas lunch of the year, with my boyfriend's family. The picture was taken after the 6 hour, very well lubricated lunch, so please accept my apologies for looking a little 'vague'.
Cardigan - Out of Xile, dress - Warehouse

Just to prove that it doesn't have to be an occasion to wear a frock, this is my super comfy, lazing around the house outfit!
Cardigan - Boden, dress - Topshop, leggings - Marks and Spencer

Worn to have dinner at my boyfriend's
Top - Gap, dress - whistles, beads - Vintage, bracelet - Miss Selfridge

To finish week 1 we have the first themed day - Whirling Wednesday. This was the day that I completely failed at fashion blogger poses 101 and found it nigh on impossible to take a good photo of me twirling in my frock. Seriously, look how hard I'm concentrating on not falling over!
Beads - Dorothy Perkins, jumper - Marks & Spencer, dress (and belt) - Whistles, tan gladiator shoes - Kurt Geiger (SAVED!)

Remember you can join in all the fun and raise money for good causes on the Dressember Facebook Page

Winter Warmer Tips - Coats

2011-12-06T08:00:00.001Z

Coats are an investment piece, so it's best to think about pounds per wear when you buy them. I'm not saying that you won't find the perfect coat at a bargain price, but don't be surprised if it's a reasonable proportion of your winter clothing budget
Just because it's an investment piece, doesn't mean it has to be black! There are an array of colours out there this season, so go for one of your best and cheer up those dull winter days.
Double breasted styles are EVERYWHERE this winter. Although they look fabulously stylish, beware if you are on the busty side as they can create an optical illusion of you being wider than you actually are!
Look out for faux fur this year - there is an especially wide range about. An instant glam pick me up, whether you're teaming it with a party frock or your jeans!
Finally remember your scale - if you're petite then neater styles will look best, whereas if you are grander in scale you'll be able to carry off longer lengths and fuller skirts.

New Shoes! Nude Courts from Zalando

2011-12-05T08:00:00.002Z

Yes folks, more new shoes! But when the lovely folks from Zalando offered to send me a pair to review how could I resist?

I've never shopped from Zalando before, although I had seen ads for the site around the net, and had spotted some of my fellow fashion bloggers sporting shoes from this online shop. The site apparently pretty big in its German homeland, but is only just starting to make inroads in the UK.

I decided to peruse the shoe department, which is what the site is most famous for, although there are a full range of clothes available online. So, what did I think?

Well, the shoes are absolutely gorgeous! I went for a nude court called 'Zelda' from Esprit, as I've been feeling that there has been a 'gap' in my shoe wardrobe in this area for a while - neutral colour shoes make your legs look like they go on for miles! I particularly like this design as it's a little quirky with the detailing around the heel, and has a small platform which always makes heels easier to wear.

Esprit is brand I've not purchased from before, and I have to say I was really impressed by the range of shoes available online. There are many brands to suit all pockets, from the budget to the designer. The search options on the site also make it really easy to sort through the many, many different shoes to find what you're looking for. Unfortunately due to sizing issues (which lets face it, can always be a problem when you're buying online) and my own silly inability to input a voucher code correctly I also got to experience Zalando's returns service. The bright side of this, of course, is that I am able to review the 'full' service to you as I know that returns can be a major issue as to why people don't shop online. I have to say that the returns system is pretty fab. You have 30 days to make a return, and they're completely free, and all you have to do is print out a label and drop off the parcel at a local drop off point (mine was a corner shop about 10 mins from my house) so you really don't have to worry about.

Can't wait to style this pair up, am sure you'll be seeing them teamed with a frock this Dressember!

So there's only one thing left - with every new pair of shoes must come a shoe sacrifice (as per my terms for the Shoeper Shoe challenge), so goodbye to the Irregular Choice Teal & Black flats!

Disclaimer - a voucher towards the cost of these shoes was provided to me by Zalando for review purposes, but all opinions remain my own.

New Workshops Launching in 2012

2011-12-02T08:00:00.004Z

Time to go to style school?

The workshop timetable for the first quarter of 2012 is here! I'm so pleased to be able to offer these group workshops next year due to all the fabulous changes going on at the Emily Jayne Studio and Loopy Ladies.

I'll be starting with a range of workshops covering Colour, Style, Image Makeover and makeup, but look out as there'll be much more to come throughout the year! You can book your place now over at my online shop, so hurry as places are limited!

Colour Workshops - £25 per person

Discover the best pallet of colours for you. If you always feel like you have a wardrobe full of clothes but nothing to wear, always wear the same colours, or are just not sure what suits you then this is the workshop for you!

2 hours with Emily Jayne where you will find out all about how colours analysis works, discover your dominant colouring, find out your 'killer colours', how to wear colours together, and get to try makeup in flattering colours for you.

Most of all you will have fun and get to indulge your inner fashionista!

Includes a colour pallet sheet (Fabric swatch wallets will be available to order on the day if you wish to 'upgrade'!) and complementary tea/coffee and cake.

All workshops take place at Loopy Ladies Craft & Creative Centre (underneath the Emily Jayne Studio), 8 Worcester Road, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire.

Dates:

Style Workshops - £25 per person

If you always feel like you have a wardrobe full of clothes but nothing to wear, struggle when you shop, are tired of the frustration of trying on a thousand items only to hate all of them, don't know how to dress your body shape, or simply wonder how to pull together your own sense of style then this is the workshop for you!

2 hours with Emily Jayne where you will discover your style personality, how to dress for your body shape, proportions and scale, and most importantly how to fit this all around your lifestyle!

Includes a style personality and bodyshape sheet, and complementary tea/coffee and cake.

Most of all you will have fun and leave feeling full of confidence about your own style!

Dates:

Complete Image Workshops - £40 per person

Combining the Colour and Style workshops into a day long session resulting in a complete image makeover! Includes complementary light lunch and tea/coffee and cake.

Dates:

Makeup - The Basics Workshop - £15 per person

Who taught you to put your makeup on? How do you choose the colours you wear? Most of us learn through trial and error, never quite feeling that we've got it right; some of us get put off using makeup alltogether!

In this 1.5hr workshop with Emily Jayne you will learn everything you need to know to acheive an every day look, and how to transform it into something a little more glam for evening! From perfecting the perfect foundation, to how to blend eyeshadow shades, to getting the perfect colour lipstick or lipgloss.

You may wish to bring paper and a pen to make notes - you're going to learn a lot, and leave with a glam new look!

Includes complementary tea/coffee & cake

Dates:

Makeup - Smokey Eyes Workshop - £15 per person

If you've spent hours trying to perfect that smokey eyed look, or have always wanted to try it, this is the workshop for you!

In this 1.5hr workshop with Emily Jayne you will learn everything you need to know to acheive the perfect smokey eye look, from picking the right smokey eyeshadow shades to you, to getting that perfect smudgy eyeliner, and then how to complete the makeup look with the perfect foundation, cheeks and lips.

You may wish to bring paper and a pen to make notes - you're going to learn a lot, and leave with a glam new look!

Includes complementary tea/coffee & cake

Dates:

Thursday 23rd February, 7:00pm - 8:30pm

I look forward to seeing you at one of the workshops next year!

It's Dressember!

2011-12-01T08:00:00.002Z

For most people the coming of December means Christmas, but for me, this year, December is going to be a little different, as I'm going to be taking part in Dressember!

You may remember my attempt at Frocking Friday earlier this year - well, although I had to bow out of that challenge, my love of the dress has not diminished, and I've decided after a little encouragement that I can do Dressember. So, along with a lovely group of ladies (and some men actually, afterall, why should the love of a frock be restricted?) I shall be wearing a dress EVERY DAY in December. To make sure I don't utterly bombard you with dresses on the blog I plan on doing weekly round ups, so you should be seeing the first one here on the blog on the 7th of December.

Can I do it? Well, lets see!

You can follow Dressember and join in the fun on Facebook

Gift Vouchers now available Online - the Perfect Christmas Present!

2011-11-30T08:00:00.003Z

You can now buy Gift Vouchers online for my most popular services and consultations at my online shop, which means your christmas gift problems for all of your female friends and relations could well be solved!

For the makeup lovers out there, a voucher for a Makeup Lesson (£35) is perfect - they'll get to learn 2 new looks that they can recreate at home. Or, if they don't know where to start with makeup or are just looking for a new look, why not book them a Makeup Prescription (£15) - this is also perfect for teenage girls who are just finding their feet with makeup, help get them on the right track from the beginning and give them a treat at the same time!

If you know someone who deserves the ultimate pampering treat, a boost to their self confidence, or a fashion lover who always laments that they have nothing to wear, why not treat them to an Image Makeover Day (£180), Colours Analysis Session (£95)or Style Consultation?(£95)

If you know someone who'd like to feel like a celebrity for the day, why gift them with a voucher for a Personal Shopping Session (£90) - great if they have a special occasion coming up, or just want to top up their wardrobe with some key items for the season that they will look and feel great in. This is also a great present for anyone who usually finds shopping frustrating!

Remember, if you need any information about any of my services or consultations you can always contact me by email emily@emily-jayne.com

Make 2012 the year of you - Mind, Body Image Makeover Day

2011-11-29T08:00:00.001Z

I'm pleased to announce an exciting event that will help you to get 2012 off to a fabulous start!

On the Saturday 14th January 2012, I shall be teaming up with training and holistic self-care expert Donnah Morgan of DM Training and top skin care and beauty specialist Victoria Warwick Jones of Forever Fabulous to run a Mind, Body & Image transformation day.

During the day you will learn relaxation and time management techniques, get to try and perfect a new skincare regime, and detox your makeup bag and learn a brand new makeup look in flattering colours for you to help launch yourself into the new year as the best possible version of yourself.

Places are limited, and are £55 per person including a light lunch. For more details and to book your place click here.

Got a craving for style? Here's Fashiny!

2011-11-28T08:00:00.002Z

A few weeks ago I was invited along to a bloggers evening focussed on the future launch of a new style and shopping based website, Fashiny (you can see some pics from the evening here). As I tweeted at the time, I was pretty excited about the prospect of this site.

Well, I'm happy to say that the site is now live! What's it all about? Well, as you 'window shop' the internet, you are able to use a 'crave' button on your browser to add the item to your Fashiny profile. As you increase your cravings, you're able to build up collections, keeping track of all of the frocks, shoes, and handbags that have caught your eye, whether it be for future shopping, a wishlist to give to friends/family before Christmas/birthdays, or just to build up a fantasy wardrobe. One of my followers described it as a 'grown up Santa list', and I think this is pretty accurate.

You can then browse the collections of the other 'cravers' online to gain inspiration - and undoubtedly you'll crave some of their collection too - no problem, Fashiny allows you to drop it into your own collection, whilst remembering who first discovered it.

It's safe to say that I'm pretty much addicted already. I've built up a hefty collection, and its really useful to see how the things I'd like to add to my wardrobe all go together. It's also pretty interesting seeing what other people are craving, especially as at the moment the membership encompasses quite a few fashion bloggers. Also, having had a sneaky peak of the extended funtionality of the site that's planned for the future, I can only see this becoming a more and more entertaining and useful resource.

You can check out my collection of cravings here and request your own invitation here.

Client Testimonial

2011-11-25T08:00:00.000Z

Received a lovely testimonial from a client who came to see me for an image day earlier this year, and I'd love to share some of her comments with you:

"I came to see you back in April having just been made redundant, and wanting a newer wardrobe to reflect my move away from the corporate world Everyone I caught up with over the summer commented on how well I looked, and had I lost weight. Well I have toned up a bit - but I'm sure wearing things that fit has helped. I hope to catch up with you at one of your style updates soon - but did want to say thank-you, my day with you was a day well spent."

New Makeup Manual from Colour Me Beautiful

2011-11-24T08:00:00.000Z

Having been told all about it at the most recent CMB conference, I was pretty excited when my copy of the Makeup Manual arrived through my letter box.

Having touched on the subject previously with their style books, CMB had decided to focus a book entirely on one of the things we do best - makeup.

Inside you'll find professional advice on everything from what colour makeup to wear, to how to transform a day look to a night look, to how to apply makeup correctly depending on the shape of your face/eyes/mouth etc.

I'm now using the manual throughout my Makeup Lessons. If you'd like your own copy you can snag one at my online shop here. To book a makeup lesson please contact me at emily@emily-jayne.com

Shoeper Shoe Challenge #28

2011-11-23T08:00:00.000Z

Well, you know we're well and truly into Autumn/Winter when the boots come out! Love, love, love these boots in softest navy suede. I'm a bit worried that the colour is starting to fade a bit now, but it is SO hard to find navy knee length boots!

Dress - frocked up, tights - silkies, boots - Jones the Bootmaker

All Change at the Studio - New Workshops Launching in 2012

2011-11-22T08:00:00.002Z

If you've been to my studio then you'll know that its above a rather lovely ladies boutique called The Clothes Rail at Loopy Ladies. Well, I should say it was. Amongst much pomp, a few wibbles, but mostly lots of excitement, The Clothes Rail closed down on Saturday 29th October.

Why excitement at a much beloved shop closing down? Well, because of what is coming next! Most of you know that Karen, the owner of The Clothes Rail is my mum, and very much a business inspiration to me over the years. After 20 years in clothing retail she has decided it's time for a change, and is going back to her crafty roots. You see, mother used to be a textiles lecturer, an avid member of the Quilter's Guild, and a fashion designer. My childhood was mostly spent wearing things that she had made for me (oh, simply the BEST party dresses!) and rainy days were almost always spent doing something crafty, so I'm super pleased about her next project.

The lower level of the building will remain closed until January, (don't worry, my studio is remaining very much open for all of your style, makeup and colour needs!) when it will be re-opening as Loopy Ladies craft and creative centre, a haven for all things pretty and crafty. You will be able to attend Knit and Natter, Sit and Sew & UFOs (Unfinished Objects, something crafters, knitters and sewers usually have a-plenty spread around the house!) with complementary tea, coffee and cake, and also come along to workshops where you will be able to learn quilting, knitting, teddy bear making and many more crafty pursuits!

How does this affect Emily Jayne? Well, it means that I will have larger space from next year to run workshops from! Although I love running individual style, colour & makeup consultations, sometimes it's more fun to do things as a group! Workshops will start at £15 per person and I already have lots planned, including Style and Colours workshops, How to Shop from Your Wardrobe (or 'The Wardrobe Remix!), A Day to Night Makeup workshop and much more.

I'll obviously be keeping you up to date on all the developments, but in the meantime I'd love some feedback. What kind of workshops would you like to attend? Suggestions I've had so far have included Get the Perfect Smoky Eye, How to Accessorise and Finding the Perfect Hat. Please either pop me a comment below, or drop me an email to emily@emily-jayne.com , I'd love to hear your thoughts!

70s Bridal Style Guest Blog on the Boho Wedding Blog

2011-11-21T08:00:00.000Z

I was really proud to be featured as a guest blogger on the Boho Wedding Blog on Friday. I met up with Kelly from Boho at the DVB show in October and was pretty excited when she asked me if I fancied collaborating on something!

Check out the post here, where I talk all about how to pick 70s inspired bridal style that suits your body shape.

Review - Look hot, feel warm top from Hot Squash

2011-11-18T08:00:00.000Z

They had me at 'technology based on Polar Bears'.

Jacket - Hobbs, Skirt - Hobbs, Tights - Silkies, Boots - Marks & Spencer, Top - Hot Squash

So, what is Hot Squash? Well, as busy women we all know the problem that arises all to often in winter. Temperature. We layer up with jumpers and camis and then realise that our suit jacket won't fit over the top. Or, if we are lucky enough that it does, we walk in out of the cold, into the office and immediately start to, erm, 'glow'. There are wonderful thermal garments out there designed to keep us warm, however they don't tend to be particularly attractive. In fact, just the word 'thermal' is enough to make most fashionistas shudder.

Hot Squash seek to solve this problem with a range of fashion-conscious basics that are packed full of technology.

When I opened my 'Flutter' top it revealed to me a list of promises, it said:

"I promise to:

keep you twice as warm as comparable fabrics of the same thickness
minimise clamminess with my breathable fibres
stay light
thrive on easy care - I don't need ironing or tumble drying
be durable and long lasting
dry very quickly"

The Thermolite fabric has hollow-core fibers (this is the bit based on polar bears) which makes all of this possible. So, does it keep its promises?

I tested out my top on a typically busy day when I'd be running about from place to place, in one outfit that would need to keep me cool during a busy meeting that I was chairing, and whilst working inside in the office & studio, but also warm whilst running errands in town. I also, obviously, care about how the top would make me look!

So, how did it fair? Well, from an attractiveness point of view I actually really liked it. Yes, it is a basic piece but there are lots of little details, such as a pintucked neckline, and flattering gathering at the waist on the back of the top, that I really liked. The colour (woodland teal, although the top also comes in red) is a little darker than I'd usually wear (and quite a bit darker than it appears online), but the lower neck line and breaking it up with a necklace sorted that issue.

From a comfort point of view I really can't fault it. The fit was fantastic, I'm a size 14-16 and was sent a 14 which was easily generous enough. I also often really struggle with cap sleeves squishing my upper arms (very unattractive!) so was really pleased to find that there was plenty of room in these. I wore this on a Winter day that was around 10 degrees, and was absolutely warm enough when I was outside wearing the top and my suit jacket (and a skirt, and tights!) but also felt really comfortable whilst inside (and I can get a bit flushed and warm in meetings etc. if I get a bit stressed).

I can't speak for the durability of the top quite yet as it has only had one outing so far!

The range of styles available is good - varying from very plain boat neck with long sleeves to the quite fancy waterfall, so really my only quibble with the top is that at £45.99 for the Flutter, they are not exactly cheap. However, if you are looking for really good quality, fashion concious basic tops that are also going to solve that annoying layering/getting too hot/getting too cold issue then Hot Squash is probably the answer.

Disclosure: This top was sent to me for review, but all opinions are my own.

New Tinted Moisturiser from Colour Me Beautiful

2011-11-17T08:00:00.001Z

In my continuing mission to get you all up to date on the latest cosmetic products from CMB, I'd like to introduce you to the new range of Tinted Moisturisers.

I know that a lot of my clients are already fans of the original tinted moisturiser, and I'm sure you're going to love this. The product has been completely re-formulated to achieve a better finish, and gives a lovely light, sheer coverage for those who find foundation a little too heavy but still want to achieve a glowing, radiant look.

The colour range has also been expanded, which means this product is also perfect if you find that even the deepest shade of Morning Light Foundation is a little on the fair side for you. A warning to the fair amongst us though, as a very fair-skinned person myself I find that even Sunkissed 1 is a little dark (although I am yet to try it on my skin in Summer, which is when I would tend to wear a tinted moisturiser) so I still prefer to mix my Porcelain Morning Light with a little of my own moisturiser to get a similar effect, even if it is a bit more faff!

You can buy the new CMB Tinted Moisturiser from my online shop, here.

If you're not sure of what shade of Foundation or Tinted Moisturiser suits you best, why not contact me and book a Makeup Lesson or Makeup Prescription and find out!

Shoeper Shoe Challenge #27

2011-11-16T08:00:00.000Z

More shoes saved! This pair are the one and only pair of shoes that I own from Primark, I bought them for a fancy dress party a couple of years ago expecting to chuck them out afterwards (I think they were only £8!) and fell a little in love with their sunny yellow splendour. I don't wear them very often, but when I do the colour always makes me smile!

Cardigan - Topshop, dress - Frocked Up, cream tights - Dorothy Perkins, yellow court shoes - Primark

Latest Eye Shadow Shades from Colour Me Beautiful

2011-11-15T08:00:00.002Z

Let me apologise, lovely readers and clients, as I have realised that I have not really been keeping you as up to date with the latest products from Colour Me Beautiful as I should have! I have vowed to resolve this, and firstly I'd like to give you a little look at the latest eye shadow shades that have been released.

(l-r) Eau de Nil, Pistachio, Golden Honey, Purple

As a complete makeup addict, I get a bit excited when I get new colours to play with, and these are no exception. I'd like to introduce you to Eau de Nil, Pistachio, Golden Honey and Purple.

As with all of the CMB eyeshadows they are super versatile, and look fantastic as a sheer veil of colour, layered for a stronger look, or used with a damp brush to create a liquid eyeliner. Eau de Nil is a pale blue that packs a punch, Pistachio is a light green, Golden Honey has a glorious deep gold shimmer to it, and Purple is fabulously deep with a hint of blue-violet iridescence. You can grab all of the new colours for yourself at my online shop here.

How the colours look when applied to skin

From a Colours Analysis point of view they look great on the following, but don't be afraid to experiment - I'm Light, Warm & Clear and have worn all 4 colours with great success.

Eau de Nil - Light, Cool, Clear, Soft & Cool
Pistachio - Light & Warm, Deep & Warm, Warm, Clear & Warm, Soft & Warm
Golden Honey - Deep & Warm, Warm, Clear & Warm, Soft & Warm,
Purple - Deep, Warm & Clear, Cool & Clear, Clear,

Want to find out what your best colour pallet is and which makeup colours suit you best? Why not contact me to book a Colours Analysis

Shoeper Shoe Challenge #26

2011-11-14T08:00:00.002Z

I will admit that this shoe save is from a little earlier on this year - hence the sunglasses! I believe it was back in September, but I only just found the photo on my phone! Also, the outfit picture is a little useless, as you can't really see the shoes, so here they are in all their glory - my Schuh tan Mary Janes. I love the distressed look to the leather on these shoes, and despite the lack of platform they are quite comfortable, and look equally at home dressed up or down.

Sunglasses - Marc Jacobs, cardigan - French Connection, camisole top - Laura Ashley, belt - Forever 21, maxi skirt - River Island, tan Mary Janes - Schuh

Colour Me Beautiful Cosmetics now available online at frocked up

2011-11-11T08:00:00.000Z

There are a few changes happening at Loopy Ladies, which I'll be blogging about very soon, but the first of them is that my online shop, where you can buy all of your Colour Me Beautiful make-up has moved, and can now be found in my very own department at frocked up. You'll also be able to buy gift vouchers online for Emily Jayne services very soon, but in the meantime, why not pay a visit and top up your makeup stash?

Shoeper Shoe Challenge #25

2011-11-10T08:00:00.001Z

More Shoeper Shoe Challenge fun! This time I saved my Hobbs patent navy Mary Janes - this was the outfit I wore to a women's business club meeting that I hosted over in Worcester. Basically, a group of local business women get together and offer each other support and advice over lunch - fabulous. If you fancy joining me there at the next meeting, just click the link for details.

Mustard cardigan - Hobbs NW3, navy tee with dog print - Hobbs NW3, navy skirt - Topshop, mustard tights - Topshop, navy mary janes - Hobbs NW3

Fabulous review on Glamour in the County

2011-11-09T08:00:00.001Z

Recently, the lovely Lula Belle from Glamour in the County came to me for a Style Consultation . I had a lovely time helping her define her City Chic style and giving tips on how to dress her body shape, but what I hadn't realised when we booked the session is that she'd be documenting the experience in a wonderful review on her blog! What a lovely surprise!

You can check it out here, and please do keep checking Glamour in the County for accounts of all of Lula's most favourite, most glamorous things!

The Return of the 90s

2011-11-08T08:00:00.001Z

Firstly, let me say that when I saw that the 90s was back for Autumn/Winter this year, I did feel that it was a bit of a landmark trend for me, as this is officially the first trend that I'm experiencing 'the second time around'! I don't really count the 80s as I was mostly being dressed in baby gro's and pretty dresses by my mother - the 90s was when I actually started to make concious decisions about how I dressed myself, no matter how misguided some of those decisions were!

Now, as a romantic, not all of the grunge fashions are really for me, but I must say I have a bit of a soft spot for soft floral shifts and maxi dresses teamed with Doc Martens or other chunky boots and leather accessories to toughen them up. I also felt pangs of nostalgia at the cobweb knits that are around for this season. The more dramatic amongst us can try some of the fab leather shorts that are around this season, teaming them with tights.

Of course this also means that this is a very economical trend, as it's a great way of taking your summer pieces and layering them up with a few key autumn accessories to give a fabulous Autumn/Winter 2011/12 look.

Shoeper Shoe Challenge #24

2011-11-07T08:00:00.001Z

The 90s are back, don't you know! Although I'm a little concerned at following a trend that I was there to do the 'first time around' I can't help but love a little bit of the grunge-inspired style that's happening at the moment. It was, therefore, with some gusto that I dusted off my old purple Doc Marten boots. I'd like to say that they embraced me like old friends, but in fact, wearing Docs after not wearing them for 12 years is rather like wearing a brand new pair of Docs, i.e. pretty painful. I am, however, pleased to report that after several outings they've now softened up again a treat!

Denim Jacket - New Look, maxi dress - Mango, navy top - French Connection, cream socks - River Island, purple boots - Doc Martens

Shoeper Shoe Challenge #23

2011-11-04T08:00:00.001Z

More shoes saved! You may recognise these beauties as one of the pairs I picked up for my birthday earlier this year. Suddenly realised that I hadn't saved them over the summer, but never fear, as I do love to team a sandal with contrasting tights! (I know that some people are completely anti-peep toe with tights, but I like them as long as it's making a bit of a statement.) I have actually worn these once before but forgot to get a snap of them, so wore them to work as part of this outfit. Had forgotten that they are not actually ideal for work as they aren't particularly comfortable - a real shame as every other pair of Topshop platforms that I own have been great to walk and stand in. With these ones however, I think it is fixable. The problem with them is that the upper over the toe is attached to the bottom of the platform, not the top. This means that my toes tend to slide over the sides of the platform as I walk, which rubs quite a bit. Think I'll be taking them to the cobbler to see if he can glue or stitch them at the top of the platform, and hopefully that will be problem solved!

Cardigan - Topshop, dress - Cath Kidston, tights - silkies, pink platform sandals - Topshop

Wrap up warm with heritage style pieces from Barbour

2011-11-03T08:00:00.001Z

When My-Wardrobe.com asked me to take a look at their womens-wear Winter collection from Barbour I was slightly conflicted in my expectations. On one hand, the brand evokes a warm feeling of British heritage, and classic style, but on the other, I also envisaged a slightly less glamorous world of wax jackets, which automatically take me back to my time learning to ride as a child. Just the smell of them makes me think about sitting on a pony that refused to do what I asked it, in the mud of the rainy menage.(My riding career was fairly short lived).

I was, then, pleasantly surprised by the collection. Yes, you may still find the traditional style waxed cotton coat in the Vintage Beadnell jacket, which in itself can look great when styled up in the right way (and I can certainly vouch for a wax jacket's ability to keep you dry!) but there are also some more fashion-forward, quite gorgeous pieces to keep you cosy this season.

I can really see people with a more natural style personality going for the Ryder. It's casual and cosy looking, but the fur collar gives it that special touch, and it's also lovely to see the flattering belt detail, perfect for cinching you in at the waist and stopping the coat becoming too bulky.

The other coat that really stood out for me was the Honour trench coat in winter white - just gorgeous. A classic woolen trench is never going to go out of fashion, and for people with Light colouring like me it can be so difficult to find winter coats in lighter colours!

None of these coats are cheap, but at £299 they actually weren't as pricey as I was expecting for a label that carries so much tradition and clout behind it, and I do always recommend that your coat is one of the pieces of your wardrobe that you invest in - think about price per wear rather than just being frightened off by the price tag! Click here to see the whole collection, which also includes a rather on-trend puffa and red quilted jacket.

Disclosure: This post is brought to you by My-Wardrobe.com, but all opinions are my own.

Shoeper Shoe Challenge #22

2011-11-02T08:00:00.002Z

More shoes saved! Am still motoring through them, am still increasingly concerned at how many I have left to go!

This was my outfit for the Harvey Nicks 10th Birthday Bash, I used it as an opportunity to save these studded gold Topshop Platforms, which despite their height and strappiness are pretty comfortable and easy to walk in - a good job as I was on my feet partying all night!

Purple Bombshell Dress - Frocked Up, purple tights - River Island, necklace & bracelet - Dorothy Perkins, shoes - Topshop

Coast Limited Edition Party Dresses

2011-11-01T12:18:00.000Z

I recently got sent the details of the new limited edition party dress collection by evening wear favourite, Coast. I've always been a bit of a Coast fan, being a romantic, I love the feminine detailing on both their evening and day wear. It's not, therefore, surprising that this collection caught my eye.

Elita - how much do I want this dress?!

The capsule collection glitters with sequins and beautiful draping. Although the focus seems to be on the LBD, I am drawn to the gorgeous golden Elita maxi (I'm always a sucker for anything gold!). It's also lovely to see an evening dress with a full sleeve, something I know a lot of my clients are often looking for. So for those of you who are not fans of your upper arms, you can let your legs do the talking with the Perla (£195), which is also in an oh-so-flattering wrap shape.

Perla

The capsule collection of party frocks will launch at 6:00pm on the 3rd November, online and at a limited selection of Coast stores. Let me know if you manage to bag yourself one of these beauties!

To see the full collection you can check out the online preview of the here.

Harvey Nichols Birmingham 10th Birthday Party

2011-10-31T12:24:00.003Z

Well, how excited was I to get a tweet from Harvey Nichols Birmingham inviting me to their 10th Birthday Party? Very excited seems like a bit of an understatement! (Followed by, oh my god, has it been 10 years? Really?) As it was Harvey Nicks, I was expecting glamour. I wasn't to be disappointed.

I went along with my brum blogging ladies (and one of their men!) and have to say I had the most fabulous night. A big shout out to the blogging girls, they are such an enormous laugh, weren't afraid to get silly with the dressing up box, and picked me up when I managed to have a classic clumsy Emily moment falling out of the Mulberry photobooth. Yes, I did that. Luckily when it was still quite quiet. Ahem.

So, if you haven't checked out the blogs of these lovely ladies please do, you'll find them all on Twitter - @wardrobemag, @stylengrit, @teantoast, @fashionmommywm . Also fab to bump into other familiar faces @bespokerose and @terry_terry amongst others.

So, on with the report. The night had a circus theme, which had me a little aprehensive as I'm properly scared of clowns. Luckily, no terrifying painted-faced folks were to be seen, just amazing stilt walkers, fire jugglers, contortionists, a clockwork girl and ladies painted as tigers and zebras. The whole of the front of the Mailbox had been transformed into a Big Top, with lush red velvet curtains welcoming us in. The atmosphere was utterly magical.

Inside, we found carnival stalls given a Harvey Nicks twist - a 'shoe' shye instead of a coconut shye, and 'throw a hoop over the champagne'. Given my throwing skills and general coordination (see falling out of photobooth, above) I was more excited about the candy floss stand. Floss madness may have set in slightly! (It's so pink! and fluffy!)

Upstairs was another party area, where the whole men's department had been cleared to make way for an array of amusements, and beautifully decorated with circus and fashion-themed glitz. First, we attacked the photobooth which lead to some amazingly flattering pics (honest) of me and Em from Style & Grit. I then squealed with glee when I realised I could have my face painted! Armed with a newly glittery face, we played with the circus-themed dressing up box and had more photos taken. There was also a magician (who had a 'blonde test' card trick that I failed miserably), and tarot card readings.

I can't really talk about a fashion party without mentioning the catwalk shows. A selection of trends were showcased including some beautiful evening wear, and all with a tongue-in-cheek nod to the circus (think silly bow ties and glittery top hats). The makeup on the models was to die for - I was loving the red glitter lips.

All throughout, our glasses were never let to go empty, and fab mini hot dogs and burgers were being passed round all evening by lovely people wearing circus ringmaster coats (not that I got to sample them, camera in one hand and drink in the other!). A massive thank you to Harvey Nichols for such an amazing night!

Lots more pics under the cut!

Photoshoot with Network of Aspiring Women

2011-10-20T08:00:00.000+01:00

A few weeks ago I shared with you some behind the scenes pictures of a photoshoot I did with the Network of Aspiring Women.

Well, finally here are some of the finished shots! It does seem strange looking at these sunny pictures as I type this as the weather really starts to get chilly - I remember that this shoot was on one of the warmest days this year - lots of powdering required.

I got to do the makeup for 3 of the lovely members of NOAW, including the fabulous Jo Cameron, who you may remember from The Apprentice. Hair was provided by Toni and Guy of Coventry (Seriously impressive and fast work from these guys!) and wardrobe was kindly provided by House of Fraser Leamington. On the group shots you can also see makeup work from Esther Marie and Adele Coxon. The shots themselves were taken by B72 Imaging (always a pleasure to work with!) at Mallory Court hotel - gorgeous and very glam, we in fact bumped into a famous face from the fashion world whilst we were there!

Me with Esther Marie and the NOAW ladies

So, on with the pics! (As ever with these posts, lots of pics after the cut)

Come and see me for a Mini Colours/Style Session - The Gap, Warwick

2011-10-19T08:00:00.000+01:00

Hi everyone!

Just to let you all know that I'll be taking part in a fabulous ladies pamper evening at The Gap in Warwick. If you haven't heard of this fabulous centre for the community it's worth checking out their website.

The event will be taking place on the 7th November and will cost £3 per person to attend, which raises money for this great centre, and will include a complimentary glass of wine. Once you're inside there'll be stalls a plenty offering all sorts of treats.

For £15 I will be offering a mini Colours and Style session - find out your dominant colouring (and what that means!), be draped in 3 'killer colours' that will help you look and feel more radiant, and discover your style personality - your own personal sense of style that, once understood, can help you to make better shopping and outfit decisions!

So keep the date free in your diary if you fancy coming along, and I'll have details very soon of how you can book your session with me.

Client Testimonial

2011-10-13T08:00:00.000+01:00

Received some lovely feedback from my most recent bridal makeup!

"You did an absolutely fantastic job on Saturday. Our makeup was beautiful...... just perfect in everyway. I am so very grateful to you, for keeping an air of both professionalism and calmness throughout..

Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou, for making us all feel so special and beautiful on the day"

Prima High Street Fashion Awards

2011-10-12T08:00:00.001+01:00

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to be invited along to the Comfort Prima High Street Fashion Awards by Colour Me Beautiful.

Hosted by designer Jeff Banks and editor of Prima Marie Fahey, the night was a celebration of high street fashion, all in support of Break Through Breast Cancer.

At my Colours Analysis station - ready to go!

I was there along with a small group of CMB consultants to take part in the Comfort Pamper Zone, where guests were able to treat themselves prior to the awards ceremonies. We were offering mini colours consultations, and I quite honestly lost count of how many women I saw and diagnosed in that hour long session! It was exhausting but brilliant fun as we raced to get through the massive queue that formed to see us (well done to Fiona from CMB for managing the crowd!

With the CMB crew

After the work, it was time for fun! We got to attend the awards ceremony itself, which included a gorgeous meal, a glittering catwalk show and being serenaded by Joe McElderry. I also met Michelle Collins, an ambassador for the fight against Breast Cancer, and have to mention what a lovely woman she was, taking time to say goodbye to us on her way out of the event.

In the Comfort Zone

Thanks again to CMB for inviting me along, it really was a very glamourous and entertaining evening! Lots of pics of the evening (thanks to the lovely Meg Hanlon for the use of her photos!) and the catwalk after the cut!

The glam aftershow party

Marie Fahey, editor of Prima

Meg gets close to Darius!

Entertainment from Joe McElderry

Time to Relax!

The CMB ladies with Michelle Collins

Posing with Joe McElderry!

Shoeper Shoe Challenge #21

2011-10-11T08:00:00.001+01:00

New M&S boots saved! I had multiple photos I could have used as I've worn these loads since buying them - they really are very comfy for the heel height, and so useful as I wear a lot of navy (having a light dominant colouring means that it's as close to black as I can go really!)

TShirt - Hobbs, skirt - unknown (charity shop/Vintage, no label!), navy suede boots - Marks and Spencer

Shoeper Shoe Challenge #20

2011-10-07T08:00:00.001+01:00

Another September heat wave shoe save! Thank goodness for that last bit of hot weather. Still, I'm only at #20, which is a little scary to say the least! Also, William the dog decided to get in on the photo action!

Dress - All Saints, Belt - Ted Baker, Wedges - Next

Featured Exhibitor Interview on the Designer Vintage Bridal Show Blog

2011-10-06T08:00:00.000+01:00

As you hopefully know, I'm exhibiting at the Designer Vintage Bridal Show in Birmingham again this year.

I'm happy to be a featured exhibitor on their blog! Check out the interview here

Shoeper Shoe Challenge #19

2011-10-05T08:00:00.001+01:00

Heatwave! Yes the recent heatwave was fantastic for the shoe challenge as it allowed me to save a last few pairs of sandals. I do have a couple of pairs left, but am sure that these can be paired with tights or socks in the Autumn, so I tried to get a few of the very Summery ones saved!

Maxi Dress - Warehouse, camisole top - Laura Ashley, bracelet - gifted, necklace - vintage, jewelled flip flops - Topshop

Come see me at the Designer Vintage Bridal Show!

2011-10-04T08:00:00.000+01:00

I'm really excited to be exhibiting at the Designer Vintage Bridal show again this Autumn after all of the success of the February show.

You'll find all of the details you need at the DVB Website , but in short, if you love vintage or vintage-inspired style and are looking to meet some lovely suppliers for your wedding and gain heaps of inspiration, you definitely need to come to this show!

As well as having a stand I'll be running some workshops giving tips on how to achieve styles and makeup from different eras.

Hopefully see you there!

Style Birmingham Live - Redefinition, The Show at the Bullring

2011-10-02T08:00:00.001+01:00

I'm lucky enough to have Style VIP status with the Bullring (check their website for how to achieve this - it's definitely worth it!) which meant that I was invited to take a front row seat at their Redefinition catwalk show for the Style Birmingham Live event.

This was a fashion show with a difference - and you could tell that something was up as soon as you saw the catwalk. This was nothing like the light and airy catwalk of this year's earlier Dollhouse show. This was a dark and industrial looking thing! So what was the difference? Well, the real models shared the stage with an amazing holographic projection, allowing them, amongst others, to become part of a living magazine, and share the catwalk with holographic models! I really have to applaud the Bullring for organising this - it's certainly not something I've ever seen before, and definitely added an edge to the event!

The show featured holographic models!

Let's not forget the important part, though - the clothes themselves! Fashion from shops within the Bullring was showcased across a variety of scenes, including Dark Romance, Masculinity and Feathers and Fur. My favourite thing about the show had to be the gorgeous array of textures on display, from sumptuous velvets to sparkling metallics.

Here are a few pics of some of my favourite looks, warning, as ever, there are a lot of pictures under the cut!

I know I don't really cover men's style, but I thought we could all enjoy those abs!

Style Birmingham Live - The Day

2011-10-01T08:00:00.002+01:00

Style Birmingham is not just about the fabulous show - oh no, when I looked on the website and booked my Gold ticket for Saturday (this was before I received a press pass for the whole weekend - oops!) the website promised reams and reams of freebies, goodies and special offers around the city. I therefore planned out the day and realised that there was far too much to fit in, and therefore picked a few things I really wanted to do.

Now, this blog post is where I have to give some really honest feedback. I loved Style Birmingham, and overall had a brilliant time and would definitely say it was great value. However there were definitely some disappointments and niggles, and these will therefore have to factor into my review of the day.

I started the day bright and early at the Show, but we've already covered that! It was then over to the mailbox to the Gold VIP lounge, which was lovely - sofas, a glass of champagne and I was able to pick up my designer shopping bag which had a couple of goodies in it. So far so good, a great start to the day.

Enjoying some fizz in the Mailbox VIP lounge (don't I look smug!!)

I then moved on to Harvey Nichols, which was advertising all manner of beauty treatments and makeovers for Style Birmingham pass holders. There was a cute little pop-up cocktail bar offering a free cocktail, a lady demonstrating GHDs, and a lady demonstrating new nail colours. All lovely, but despite the long list of things that Harvey Nicks was meant to be offering, this was all that we could see. My friend and I particularly wanted to get Space NK facials, but when we approached the stand, there wasn't anyone there. We asked another member of staff, but they didn't really seem to know what was happening. I had a little walk round and then someone appeared at Space NK, but when we asked about the facials she didn't know anything about them and asked us to go back in 10 minutes, and we might have to book and come back on Sunday - well, there was no mention of booking on the website, and although I could come back the next day my friend was in town for that day only, as I'm sure many Style Birmingham visitors would be. Another little walk round the shop, and back again to find that once again there was no one at the stand. By this point we were a little bored - we thought about having our nails done but as there was only one person doing them a really large queue had formed, and as we understood it the Nails Inc. bar in Debenhams was also doing free mini manicures so we decided to chalk the last hour up to experience and go and grab some lunch.

Lunch was, quite simply, amazing. As part of our gold tickets we were able to claim a complimentary lunch at a choice of venues in Birmingham. My friend and I decided to go for Bodega, as we'd had a takeaway from there a few weeks before and loved it, and really wanted to try out the resaurant. We were able to pick from a choice on the menu of a main and a side dish, plus a drink. Both of us went for chicken burritos and sweet potato fries, and they were so very yummy! Would definitely recommend!

Time to move on, and off we went to Debenhams to get our nails done, and see what else was going on in the beauty department. When we arrived there was no real sign that anything was going on - honestly, I expected some signage of some sort directing Style Birmingham visitors to all the activities. Off we went to Nails Inc, and I was quite shocked to see that there were only 2 or 3 people waiting, but also a little concerned to only see one person on the nail bar. We asked her if we could have the manicure that was on offer for style Birmingham, but she was fairly short with us, saying that she hadn't been told until that morning that she was meant to be doing them, there was only her on, and that she was booked up with paying clients all day, and even if we wanted to book in for Sunday we couldn't because she was busy then too. I wasn't very impressed with this - I understand it wasn't her fault in particular, but she didn't handle it very well, and when I spoke other visitors she had had a similar attitude with them. Overall it seemed a bit like Style Birmingham was a massive surprise to Debenhams, and that the individual beauty concessions hadn't been told about the long list of treats and services they were advertised to be offering.

Off we trotted to Selfridges (with a little shopping on the way!) and I have to say that after our previous experiences we were really pleasantly surprised. On arrival in the beauty department we were greeted by a lovely lady who explained all of the things that were going on, she also explained that everyone was really busy, but if we had to wait for anything there was plenty of prosecco on hand! This was more like it!

First I had a mini manicure in one of the new Autumn Colours at Leighton Denny . The technicians were all really busy trying to fit in the Style Birmingham visitors around their paying clients who had appointments booked for that day, so I had to wait a little while, but I really don't mind doing this for a free mini manicure, especially given how friendly they were. I picked a lovely purple with a gold and bronze shimmer running through it, and was really pleased with the results, especially as I am typing this on Tuesday with the manicure still intact, which NEVER happens to my nails, and this is extra impressive given that it was only a quick job.

Pretty Leighton Denny Nails!

I then went over to the Umberto Giannini station, where some amazing hair dos were being created. There was a lady on-hand to manage the queuing, and she suggested that as there was quite a wait I went to get my makeup done, and she would hold my place 'virtually' in the queue - fantastic!

All of the makeup stands at Selfridges were offering mini makeovers of some variety. I decided to go for Illamasqua as I love their bold aesthetic. The lovely Rachel did my makeup, and I was excited to find out that she had also done the makeup for the models for some of the shows that were going on that day. As someone who does makeup, it's a rare treat to have it done for me, and I always find it fascinating to see different techniques and colour choices that people used. Rachel gave me a really shimmery purple eye, which I loved, and a corally pink lip which was far more Matt in texture than I usually go for, but I really liked it. Another lovely touch from Selfridges was that there were members of staff wandering round with polaroid cameras to snap you after you'd had something done, so that you could take a momento home with you.

With Rachel from Illamasqua

Back over I went to the hair station, feeling much more glamourous, and was pleased to find out that there were only 3 people ahead of me in the queue. I settled down on a sofa with a glass of bubbly and chatted to the other visitors about their experience - it seemed that there was a general consensus that the Show was amazing, but there was some disorganisation in some shops, with people being unaware of what they were meant to be offering, whilst everyone was really thrilled with their experience in Selfridges. I waited quite a while, well over an hour, but didn't mind the waiting too much given the amazing hair styles I saw being produced. Finally, it was my time to sit in the chair. Just as I did, the stylist disappeared. I waited. A few minutes later a very apologetic lady arrived to tell me that all of the stylists were busy with clients, and there'd be no-one free until 7:00pm. This was frustrating to say the least given that I could have spent the time that I'd been waiting enjoying the shops, but to be fair Selfridges did their upmost to sort the situation. They arranged for me to have my hair curled at the GHD bar, and gave me a goody back with some lovely products in to apologise, so I would like to thank them for that.

So, the day was a bit up and down - I was really pleased with the VIP lounge and the treatments I received, and if that had been all I was expecting I would usually have been over the moon to get a few free glasses of fizz alongside a free makeup and manicure, however it does irk me when things are not as they are advertised. It's a bit of a shame as it really was just a little bit of disorganisation and seemingly a lack of communication between management and concession staff that just left a little bit of a whiff of disappointment hanging over the experience, and from speaking to other visitors they had a similar experience.

I think it's important that I give an honest report of the day, so wanted to include these little niggles, but again really would like to underline what a fab day I had overall and how well I think Selfridges, in particular, handled the demands of the event. Moreover, I think that the Gold Ticket was excellent value given the amazing lunch we had and the extra drinks we were able to pick up. I'll definitely be attending next year!

Style Birmingham Live - The Show

2011-09-30T08:00:00.001+01:00

One of the main events of the Style Birmingham Live weekend is the show - this year it was at the Town Hall, and hosted by the very stylish and suave Mr. George Lamb (who I got to meet - he had his arm around me ladies!! Ok, he had his arm around lots of meet and greeters, I'm not special!). I was lucky enough to catch the show twice - once at the VIP Launch night on Friday, then again on Saturday, which was great as they were both slightly different. On Friday night we were entertained by the fab Claire McGuire, and on Saturday I once again got treated to a Q&A with Bradley Taylor (hope he doesn't think I'm stalking him!

George Lamb - oozing style!

The talented Claire McGuire

The catwalk played host to a series of fantastic scenes, all based around trends for the current season. What is fantastic about the show is not only is it a visual feast of style loveliness, but also all of the outfits featured can be bought from Birmingham retailers. It was also great to see some of the indies, such as Disorder, being featured in the show as well as the main highstreet chains and designer brands.

Posing with George (and my lovely friend Jess!)

The scenes depicted styles including Wall Street - with sleek office-wear, Vintage Glamour, with beading and luxe fabrics, the fabulously colourful New Native, True Brit and Optical Shock, amazing draping and metallic textures in Future Avatar, and finally a nod to the Dark Side

Here are some of my favourite looks from the show, warning, there are a lot of pretty pictures after this cut!

Fashion Bloggers Event at Style Birmingham

2011-09-29T08:00:00.003+01:00

For those of you who are unaware, last weekend was Style Birmingham Live - a celebration of fashion and beauty in the capital of the midlands. I was so pleased as this is the first year that I have been able to attend - every other year I've managed to be on holiday whilst this fabulous event was on!

Over the next few days I'll be reporting on all that I got up to, starting with this, the bloggers event.

On Friday night I was invited along to the VIP launch night of Style Birmingham, and along with some of the midlands other bloggers was able to attend a special, champagne-fuelled (!) Q&A session with stylist Bradley Taylor where we got to quiz him on all things style.

The fabulous think about Bradley is the range of his work - everthing from London Fashion week for Vivienne Westwood and Mulberry to the X Factor to styling Soap Stars for the red carpet through to personal shopping and styling for ordinary women.

I asked him about his views on aspirational fashion versus wearability, and his answer was really refreshing - the trend should always come second to making the person look good. Yes, trends are important, but it's no good if it doesn't suit your bodyshape/personality etc. I've never heard of a catwalk stylist paying this much attention to the individual before. I think this is probably a reflection of where Bradley started his career, dressing ordinary women (I'm trying not to say 'real' women as, let's face it, models are real too!) as a personal shopper in Harvey Nichols. This really was fabulous to hear, and alongside what I was to hear from Caryn Franklin on Sunday (blog report coming soon!) gives me some real hope that maybe we might start to see some changes in the fashion industry, and more of a focus on the individual (hurrah!).

Bradley reflected this in his general attitude to fashion - you have to be yourself. It's no good pretending to be a 'fashionista' just to fit in. Always reassuring to hear, as much like my client base, I'm not a stick thin, black-wearing, high-fashion and couture-toting 'typical' fashionista, and sometimes the world of style can seem, well, a little exclusive.

I also have to say how wonderful it was to meet the other bloggers - some of whom I have been tweeting with for quite a while now, so thanks again to Style Birmingham for organising the event.

Spring / Summer 2012 trend predictions at Pure London - Colour Blocking

2011-09-28T08:00:00.001+01:00

Part of the strangeness of the fashion world is that although Spring/Summer 2011 is hardly over, we're already looking at Spring / Summer 2012.

So, as the nights draw in and the temperature starts to drop, fancy a sneaky peak of what you might be wearing next Summer? Whilst I was at Pure London I attended the Spring Summer 2012 trend prediction seminar, and I'll be sharing the top 5 trends with you.

Colour Blocking

Like the 1970s trend, this one is another repeat from Spring / Summer 2011 - a sign of the economic times, perhaps? After all, women can't afford to be chucking out their whole wardrobe every season and completely replacing it with the latest fashions at the moment, can they? The slight update here is that the colour blocking is not only done with brights, but also with soft colours like peach and pistachio. Also notice the cullote shape making a come back. Is the world ready for this?

Autumn Winter Style Update Evening

2011-09-27T23:18:00.001+01:00

NOW TAKING BOOKINGS FOR AUTUMN/WINTER STYLE UPDATE EVENING

October 13th at 7:30pm

If you would like to attend PLEASE BOOK YOUR PLACE by emailing emily@emily-jayne.com or calling 01527 579650.

The nights are drawing in and there's a chill in the air - it's that time of year again ladies, time to update those wardrobes!

There's so much going on - with 70s, 40s, berry colours, sparkle and lots more there really will be something for everyone!

Come along to my style update evening for a review of this seasons trends, and more importantly how best to wear them for your colouring, body shape and personality, and how to update your makeup for Autumn/Winter. Do you need to invest in some key pieces, or will you be able to 'shop your wardrobe'?

£15 per person, includes Style Update booklet to take away, drinks and nibbles.

Takes place at my Studio in Bromsgrove, with the chance to browse in the Loopy Ladies Boutique afterwards and grab yourself a bargain!

Spring / Summer 2021 trend predictions at Pure - Tribal

2011-09-27T10:11:00.001+01:00

Ethnic and tribal prints are back, but this time with a difference. Not only will they be seen on the usual floaty skirts and maxi dresses, but also on more formal sillhoettes, including trousers. Yup, it seems that the print trouser that we started to see this Summer is going nowhere - very handy for inverted triangles who are looking to balance out their shape!

Spring / Summer 2012 trend predictions at Pure - English Rose

2011-09-22T08:41:00.001+01:00

Part of the strangeness of the fashion world is that although Spring/Summer 2011 is hardly over, we're already looking at Spring / Summer 2012.

So, as the nights draw in and the temperature starts to drop, fancy a sneaky peak of what you might be wearing next Summer? Whilst I was at Pure London I attended the Spring Summer 2012 trend prediction seminar, and I'll be sharing the top 5 trends with you.

English Rose

This trend is all about the feminine and the ladylike.Think furnishing florals, lace, broderais anglais, straw hats, pretty trims and a vintage, nostalgic feel. This look is very much about pulling away from an overtly 'sexy' look and moving towards something more pretty - covering up arms, longer length skirts and dresses and separates.

Client Testimonial

2011-09-21T11:26:00.000+01:00

Had a lovely email through from a Colours Analysis client from last week!

"I had a fab time and have already sung your praises to everyone I've seen!...Hopefully try out some of your other services soon...you've actually made me feel like I did when I was younger and felt more confident...desperately need to shop now!"

Spring Summer 2012 Trend Predictions at Pure - 70s

2011-09-20T13:03:00.001+01:00

After featuring heavily in both Spring / Summer 2011 and Autumn / Winter 2011, the 1970s are going nowhere. For Spring / Summer 2012 it's a very Biba-esque and ladylike look, focussing on a feeling of nostalgia. Think maxi dresses with covered arms and shoulders and draping, prim length skirts, blouses and platform shoes.

I love the romance of this look, and one of my favourite things about it is the skirt length it enables. I know I bang on about this a bit, but in my opinion the general skirt length on the highstreet is far too short for most women, so it's refreshing to see skirts and dresses that you don't have to wear leggings underneath even in 30 degree heat to disguise your wobbly bits!

Spring / Summer 2012 Trend Prediction at Pure - Blurred Nautical

2011-09-15T10:54:00.001+01:00

This trend is all about taking the lines of traditional nautical style and blurring them. Think ditching the breton stripes and boat shoes, and replacing them with large polka dots, broderais anglais, added textures, rope detailing and rope belts.

Key to this look is that it can be easily transferred from smart and occasion wear to casual - in this economic climate designers are recognising that women need versatility from their wardrobe! Jackets are cropped in shape with bracelet length sleeves, again allowing them to be worn either with jeans or with a dress or skirt for a smarter look.

Have to say I love this look, it takes the nautical look that's been around for seasons and gives it a soft, feminine update. Also, as a curvy shape I tend to steer clear of breton stripes (they tend to not be so flattering over a full bust) so this makes many nautical styles far more wearable.

Shoeper Shoe Challenge #18

2011-09-14T10:08:00.001+01:00

Another day, another pair of shoes saved in the Shoeperwoman challenge. As I was just running about town doing some errands (including the opticians, where I discovered that I need new glasses, boo for the expense, but hurrah for a good excuse to buy a new accessory!) I wore my trusty gold Rocket Dog pumps. I'm not massively into trainers due to my Romantic style personality, but these pumps fill that gap in my wardrobe perfectly, so I have worn them to death. Even better, they were a complete bargain in a sale at Office - only £12! Much like my navy Topshop platforms, I am already worried about the day that these wear out, and am already on the look out for a replacement pair!

Floral cardigan - River Island, green vest top - Dorothy Perkins, coral cropped jeans - M&S, gold pumps - Rocket Dog, gold bracelet - Monet

Zandra Rhodes Couture at Pure

2011-09-13T09:14:00.001+01:00

Whilst at Pure there were a few events marking the launch of Zandra Rhodes' new jewellery line, including a catwalk show. Now, to be honest, I got a little distracted from the jewels being sported by the models, as they were also wearing the most glorious collection of Zandra Rhodes couture. Luckily I knew that later I'd be getting to concentrate on the jewellery in a little more detail at the launch tea party hosted by Ms. Rhodes herself later in the day, so I just marvelled in the amazing colours, patterns and textures on display. For your viewing pleasure, here are a selection of the pretties!

The High Street, Individual Style and Achievable Beauty with Caryn Franklin

2011-09-07T10:23:00.001+01:00

One of the amazing things I got to do whilst attending Pure this Summer in London was see a seminar by the fabulous Caryn Franklin. Now, I grew up on the original Clothes Show, so this was a bit of a treat for me, and I was really interested to hear what she had to say. In short, I was not disappointed.

Caryn discussed in detail the lack of fit between what is available on the high street, and what real women want to wear, and that perhaps it may even be stifling women from developing their own sense of style. There was much discussed, but one of the things that really stood out was her campaign for achievable beauty and helping women develop their sense of style (something that I am absolutely passionate about!).She has developed the All Walks project, pairing designers with a range of models with 'inspirational' body types - a true selection representing real women.

'Real women' has, unfortunately, become synonymous with 'plus size' in recent times. I think it is really important to acknowledge that real women are all different shapes and sizes, from plus size, to petite, to tall, to the traditional model-thin. Believe me, I'm all for real women being represented in fashion, but I think it is insulting to people who are naturally thin to suggest that they are not 'real'! Caryn also spoke about this, and I think when you look at the selection of models chosen they are completely diverse.

The project is also going into fashion colleges to encourage young designers to work with a variety of sizes and to get feedback from real women on their designs. One of the areas she mentioned specifically here is one of my own passion projects - the length of skirts on the high street. SO SHORT!

Caryn basically stated that the reason that leggings have become so popular is that, in general, skirts and dresses available are so short that most women feel uncomfortable going without them, and I completely agree! Don't get me wrong, I think that minis are cute and should be out there, but when did the standard length become 'arse-skimming'? I'm only 5 foot 6 and a half, not crazily tall by any means, but most skirts and dresses are far, far too short for me to wear without tights or leggings without showing all of my wobbly bits, and to be honest, even if my pins were perfectly toned, it's really not appropriate in every day life to be constantly worried about bending forward slightly and showing everyone your bottom - especially in work type situations! One of the dresses I saw on the catwalk at Pure was so short that it rode up, and the models bottom was peaking out from underneath it by the time she finished her strut. If she looked a bit silly, how is the average woman meant to feel?

As a stylist, I know that in general, the most flattering length of skirt is either just above or just below the knee. Make it mid-thigh or mid-calf and it automatically cuts the leg off at one of its widest points, giving the illusion of thicker legs and making it only really wearable for those with fabulous pins.

I know from discussing this on twitter that I'm not the only person out there who feels like this, Caryn Franklin obviously thinks the same, so when is the high street going to listen?

Shoeper Shoe Challenge #17

2011-09-06T16:35:00.001+01:00

Ooh, I'm rattling through the shoes now - one might even say I was back on track with the Shoeperwoman Shoeper Shoe Challenge, but as I have such a crazy number of shoes, I am no way near on track!

Another pair saved though, this time my baby blue Irregular Choice kitten heels. This is a pair of shoes that I never, ever wear, and I have absolutely no idea why. I put them on and went off to work (a wedding makeup) expecting to suddenly be hit with why I never wear them - that they would be horrendously uncomfortable, or cause me to trip up or something. Nope. They are comfortable, and soooo very pretty! I love anything with bows on it, and the irregular circle cutouts remind me of bubbles! So thankyou shoe challenge, for reminding me that I have these shoes and love them!

Cream camisole top - Laura Ashley, blue stripey skirt - French Connection, pearl bangles - gifted, pearl beads - gifted, blue kitten heel shoes - Irregular Choice

Emily Jayne is On Holiday!

2011-08-26T11:37:00.000+01:00

Hi folks,

Well it's been a busy year so far and I'm heading off to the seaside and to a music festival to have a rest, recharge, and ready myself for Autumn Winter.

There's so much to look forward to - Style Update evening, the Prima Style Awards, Style Birmingham Live, never mind all the exciting new clothes coming into the shops!

If you do need to get hold of me whilst I'm away I will have intermittent access to my email, but if it's not urgent I'll answer your request as soon as I can upon my return on the 5th September.

Have a great Bank Holiday weekend, and if you really miss me, I'm sure I'll be tweeting whilst I'm away!

Shoeper Shoe Challenge #16

2011-08-24T09:48:00.001+01:00

It was a grey, dull, August day, and I was seriously getting concerned that it was never going to be sunny again. "How on earth do I save my sandals for the Shoeperwoman challenge without sunshine?" I thought. Well, what I did was wear sandals anyway, and got wet feet. (Totally worth it)

Gold flat sandals - Schuh, pink handback - Vivienne Westwood, peach t-shirt - Staff, peach scarf with skulls - River Island, wedgewood blue and off white maxi skirt - River Island, cream apple necklace - vintage, cream bangle - gifted, gold bangles - various including Claire's accessories and Monsoon

Sheldon seems to like shoe challenges!

Pink Fizz and Cake with Zandra Rhodes at PURE London

2011-08-23T10:46:00.002+01:00

One of the events that I was really looking forward to at PURE was the Teaparty Launch of Zandra Rhodes' new jewellery line, hosted by the fabulous pink-haired Ms. Rhodes herself. I've always been a fan of Zandra Rhodes couture - such wonderful patterns and prints, she truly is one of the textile design queens. This is why I was so excited when I received my VIP invitation to the launch!

It wasn't a disappointment - we were ushered behind purple velvet ropes in the Fashion Cafe area of pure, and a plethora of pink cupcakes and pink fizz (in pink champagne flutes, of course) were handed around, before the wonderful Zandra Rhodes herself appeared.

She spoke at length about her wonderful new collaberation with Adele Marie (head of the company Adele Vanderkar was also there to field questions). The range really is rather yummy! Adele Marie's team have cleverly taken famous and iconic aspects of Zandra Rhodes design, such as 'the wiggle', butterflys and hearts, and turned them into wearable, statement pieces. There is a good mix between fine metal work with delicate charms and the more statement pieces, but my favourites have to be the bold resin pieces in pink and gold. All of the rang has fabulous attention to detail - I particularly liked the way the clasps were made from a 'ZR'.

I also loved that she said that if she didn't want to wear the piece, it didn't go in the collection, ensuring that it really was Zandra Rhodes style.

Ms. Rhodes then fielded questions from those attending, and took time to sign some autographs. Well how could I resist the opportunity to chat to her face to face and fangirl about her designs?

Zandra Rhodes by Adele Marie will be available from stockists from October 2011.

New Shoes - and a MEGA Shoe Sacrifice

2011-08-22T09:26:00.001+01:00

So, erm, I cracked, and bought a new pair of shoes. Well, Autumn is on the way, and when I spied these absolute beauties in Marks and Spencer of all places (not, I'll admit, somewhere I usually look for shoes - M&S is my haven for underwear, and jeans that don't give me a muffin top, and other such practical things) I couldn't resist.

They are a work of art, a navy (eek! navy! love it!) shoe boot in soft suede with a snakeskin effect heel. I love the juxtaposition of the skinny stilettos with the chunky platform (did I just use the word 'juxtaposition' whilst writing about shoes? I must be in love) and also as a bonus they are SO comfy - they have special gel type padding in the sole to support the ball of the foot - dreamy!

I really did try to resist, even claiming that as they were M&S and at only £55 there was no way they were real leather and therefore I was only going to try them on, not buy them. Unfortunately, when I gazed at the label, they WERE leather. Decision made, they had to be mine.

So, as per my own self-inflicted one-in-one-out rule for the Shoeperwoman Shoeper Shoe Challenge I went on a little hunt through my shoe collection to see what I was going to sacrifice in order to atone for my new shoe purchase. Whilst hunting, it struck me again that we are now over half way through the challenge, and I have only saved 15 pairs of shoes out of the 77 I own. I obviously have a severe shoe surfeit. I think this caused something to snap in my brain, and I decided to have a MEGA shoe sacrifice session. I really don't think I'm going to wear any of the shoes that are going, some due to the fact that they've seen better days, some due to the fact that they are too uncomfortable to wear, and mostly just because I own a lot of black shoes, and really apart from funerals and hallowe'en never wear black due to my light colouring.

This cuts down my overall shoe count quite a lot, but I'm still pretty sure that come the end of the challenge in February there'll be more to cull, which I suppose is proof that the shoe challenge works. Just think of all the room I'll have for pretty new shoes next year!

So, here is the mega shoe sacrifice, lets bow our heads and have a moment of silence for all 12 of them.

Vote for my shoe in the Upper Street Golden Shoe Awards!

2011-08-19T09:08:00.002+01:00

Today's blog was meant to be about the MEGA shoe sacrifice I made last night in the name of the Shoeperwoman shoeper shoe challenge (seriously, I don't think I've ever cleared out this many pairs of shoes before)- but it seems as one shoe door shuts, another one opens, so to speak, and I got a pretty exciting email this morning.

A pair of shoes I designed has reached the final of the Upper Street Golden Shoe Awards ! Squee! So this is where I beg you upon bended knee to vote for my design, Golden Delicious, as I truly would love to see them bought to life - especially given how many shoes I've just cleared out! All you have to do is click the voting button next to 'Golden Delicious by Emily Jayne Phillips' at this link by Sunday 21st August - not long to vote!

So what are you voting for?

Gold leather, with gold snake accents on the heel, platform and snake edging. Swarovski crystal jewelled-toe, and diamante embellishment to the ankle strap.

So, erm vote for me? Please! Would also appreciate it if anyone would like to join me in the campaign to get Golden Delicious made a reality and share the voting link with their friends/followers.

Thank you so much!

I go on Tummy Bootcamp with Latest in Beauty

2011-08-18T09:14:00.000+01:00

Being an Image Consultant, I spend a lot of time with women in style consultations where they tell me about their concerns and issues about their image and body. One of the areas that comes up time and time again is women being unhappy with their tummy. This worry seems to effect all shapes and sizes, and although I'm a firm believer in making the most of what you have through knowledge and clever dressing, I also believe that if you're unhappy with something, you should do something about it.

This is why I've got involved with a new project with fab beauty website Latest in Beauty. They contacted me to ask whether I'd like to take part in their first long-term trial - the Latest in Beauty Challenge - Tummy Bootcamp.

Now I don't hate my tummy by any means, I'm ok with having a curvy shape, but would I prefer it to be a little less wobbly? Well, yes. The challenge involves me being given the Mamma Mio Tummy Bootcamp Kit, which in 30 days promises to flatten your tummy. Well, how could I say no?

The 'bootcamp' essentially involves me massaging 2 products into my Tummy, and doing a short set of abdominal exercises (which, phew, are all done sitting down!) every day.

So, if you're interested in seeing whether it works you can follow me and the other challengers at the Latest In Beauty Challenge Site. I'll be posting here whenever I post an update.

At the moment you can read my introductory interview, meet my tummy (eek, tummy pic alert!), and see how I've been getting on after the first few days.

Disclosure - The Mamma Mio Tummy Bootcamp kit was given to me free of charge for review purposes by Latest In Beauty, however all opinions are my own.

Sneaky Peak : PURE London fashion event

2011-08-17T10:27:00.002+01:00

Last week I went along to the PURE fashion event in London. PURE is where Europe's top fashion brands gather to exhibit their new collections for independent shops and boutiques to buy. As a trade show there tend to be some fantastic seminars and shows, and this year was no exception. There was so much to pack into one day! I'll be blogging in detail about what I got up to, including seeing the A/W11 Spirit Young Fashion catwalk show, an amazing seminar with Caryn Franklin, Spring/Summer 2012 trend predictions (yes, already!) and attending a VIP tea party with Zandra Rhodes!

To whet your appetite, here are a couple of pics to give you an idea of what is coming up on the blog very soon.